What Happened The countries of the Eastern Mediterranean are on course for some choppy waters. On May 6, Turkey said its ships would continue to explore for oil and gas in an area of the sea that Cyprus considers to be part of its exclusive economic zone. Turkey issued the statement after the United States and the European Union criticized it for sending a ship to explore for energy in a zone that Cyprus and breakaway Northern Cyprus dispute, prompting Cyprus to file international arrest warrants for the crew of the Turkish drilling ship. Why It Matters The developments form part of a broader dispute in the region. Since the mid-1970s, the island of Cyprus has been divided between Greek-speaking Cyprus in the south, which is a member of the European Union, and Turkish-speaking Northern Cyprus, which is recognized solely by Turkey.