Turkey extends geological exploration mission in Mediterranean until Oct. 27

The Turkish research vessel Oruc Reis will conduct geological exploration of hydrocarbon deposits in disputed areas of Eastern Mediterranean until Oct. 27, an official said on Thursday.

The Office of Navigation, Hydrography and Oceanography of the Turkish Naval Forces said this on Thursday.

Turkey issued a new international Navtex alert, according to which the Oruc Reis vessel will conduct research with the Ataman and Cengizhan vessels south of the Greek island of Kastelorizo.

On Oct. 11, Turkey announced that Oruc Reis will conduct research with the Ataman and Cengizhan vessels south of Kastelorizo from Oct. 12 to 22.

The Greek Foreign Ministry said that the area belongs to the Greek continental shelf and is located just 6.5 nautical miles from the coast of Kastelorizo.

The territorial waters of the Greek islands in the Aegean Sea are defined at six nautical miles.

Ankara said the vessel operates exclusively on the Turkish continental shelf 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) off the coast of Turkey and 425 kilometers (264 miles) off the coast of Greece.

Similarly, the Turkish Foreign Ministry rejected the demand to stop geological exploration in the disputed shelf areas in the Mediterranean, adopted at the trilateral summit of Egypt, Greece and Cyprus.

Earlier this week, the leaders of Egypt, Greece and Cyprus held the trilateral summit in Nicosia and demanded from Turkey to stop exploration in the exclusive economic zones of Greece and Cyprus.

“We completely reject the statement following the Egypt-Greece-Cyprus summit, which contains unfounded accusations against our country as it was at the previous meetings of the three countries.

“The true intentions of these countries are revealed each time when their statements, which are said to be aimed at ‘supporting peace, stability and cooperation in the eastern Mediterranean,’ target our country,” the statement said.

The Mediterranean has become a flashpoint in regional tensions after the discovery of large underwater gas reserves.

Turkey has played a proactive role, claiming territorial rights over vast swathes of waters, drawing up deals with Libya and increasing prospecting around the divided island of Cyprus, and thus provoking a plethora of criticism from European nations.

Tensions between Turkey and Greece, in particular, escalated in August after Greece and Egypt had signed a maritime deal on an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the eastern Mediterranean.

Ankara then slammed the agreement as “null and void,” saying that Athens and Cairo share no sea border, and claimed that the area of the EEZ was in fact located on Turkey’s continental shelf.

The Greece-Egypt deal prompted Turkey to resume seismic research in eastern Mediterranean.