Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan went on another tirade during a speech given to lawmakers of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), saying that Turkey will give Greece the “answer it deserves” over the Eastern Mediterranean dispute.
The bombastic Turkish President also claimed Greece "did not keep its promises," without mentioning exactly what these promises were.
Although Turkey insists that is has a legal right to explore on Greece's continental shelf, it has never specified what exact law and continues to sign and ratify the United Nations Charter Law of the Sea as it rules against Ankara's maximalist claims in the East Mediterranean.
On top of being only one in 15 countries in the world to not sign and/or ratify the United Nations Charter Law of the Sea, it is also one of the very few countries in the world to not recognize the legitimacy of the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
Turkey's latest provocations in the East Mediterranean by sending the Oruç Reis Turkish research vessel accompanied with warships into Greece's continental shelf has received international condemnation, including from the U.S. and EU.
Earlier today, Energy Minister Fatih Dönmez said that the Oruç Reis had reached the location in the eastern Mediterranean where it will operate and begin seismic research in Greece's continental shelf.
During Erdoğan tirade, he also said that Turkey's supposedly massive gas find in the Black Sea is actually much larger then initially anticipated.
"By going to our drill ship Fatih on Saturday, we'll both personally witness the efforts on site and announce the amount of the new reserve," he said.
However, Turkey has become known for overplaying energy findings which usually amount to nothing or deemed unprofitable. Such statements are usually made when the Turkish economy is struggling, which it certainly is with the Turkish lira trading at 7.93 as of publication to the US dollar, 9.33 to the Euro and 10.33 to the Pound.