Türkiye’s Deputy Foreign Minister and head of EU Affairs, Ambassador Faruk Kaymakçı says his country’s EU accession bid is being blocked by tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.

He said that despite the suspension of talks with the bloc, EU membership continues to be Ankara’s strategic goal.

The Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister and head of the ministry’s Department for EU Affairs, Ambassador Faruk Kaymakçı said on Thursday that a stronger cooperation could be carried out in the Eastern Mediterranean on the issue of energy but that this was being blocked by Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration.

He said that the region’s hydrocarbon resources could not be utilised because of the Greek-Greek Cypriot duo’s negative stance.

Kaymakçı also said that Ankara’s EU accession negotiations were being blocked as a result of the tensions in the Mediterranean.

“The only thing we want is for Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration not to exploit their veto right within the EU. It’s up to you if you want to continue doing this but we cannot solve any problems by resorting to such methods,” he added.