He was speaking ahead of visits to Rome, Malta and Algiers, and against the background of talks with non-permanent members of the UN Security Council, over the territorial dispute that has arisen between Greece and Turkey. The two countries have not been so close to confrontation since 1996: then, it was over the maritime border in the Aegean; now, the issue is access to East Mediterranean oil and gas deposits and Turkey's intervention in Libya.
Turkey is using the Aegean migrant crisis to put pressure on Greece and the EU; it could be complicated by a worsening situation in Libya.
Despite the government's large opinion-poll lead over the opposition, it has no room for manoeuvre on this issue.
Turkey's lack of domestic energy sources is driving its claim to East Mediterranean hydrocarbon reserves, so far unsuccessfully.
