Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu told the European Parliament on Thursday that the European Union did not have jurisdiction over maritime boundaries and it should remain unbiased in Turkey's dispute with Greece.
The two countries have competing claims to continental shelves and rights to potential energy resources in the east Mediterranean. EU leaders will address the issue at a summit on Sept. 24-25.
Addressing the European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee via videoconference, Çavuşoğlu said Turkey was ready for "unconditional" dialogue with Greece and the bloc.
Greece has disputed Turkey's current energy exploration activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, trying to box in Turkish maritime territory based on small islands near the Turkish coast.
Turkey -- the country with the longest coastline in the Mediterranean -- has sent out drillships to explore for energy on its continental shelf, saying that Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus have rights in the region.
Dialogue for fairly sharing these resources will be a win-win for all sides, say Turkish officials.
