The US and Qatar will not cross Turkey's continental shelf

Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, announced that the United States and Qatar have assured that Exxon Mobil and Qatar Petroleum will stay out of Turkey’s continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean, after the companies were given an energy exploration license in disputed waters, Reuters reports.

According to the report, the United States’ drilling company, Exxon Mobile, and Qatar Petroleum will start their energy exploration activities out of Turkey’s continental shelf.

“No matter who they are, they cannot enter our continental shelf without our permission,” Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, told parliament during his ministry’s budget talks on Monday.

“Both countries – the United States and Qatar – have guaranteed that they will not enter our continental shelf,” he said, adding the companies will remain south of Turkey’s declared continental shelf.

In November, Turkey accused Cyprus of violating its continental shelf by awarding the licence to Qatar and US.

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