Politics- US urges Turkey to halt drilling operations off Cyprus coast

The U.S. State Department on Tuesday urged Turkish authorities to halt drilling operations off the coast of Cyprus, one day after Cyprus protested a Turkish ship dropping anchor there.

"This provocative step raises tensions in the region. We urge Turkish authorities to halt these operations and encourage all parties to act with restraint and refrain from actions that increase tensions in the region," a State Department spokeswoman said in a statement.