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German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas warned Turkey on Tuesday that it should refrain from provoking provocations in a gas exploration dispute in controversial maritime areas in the eastern Mediterranean.
“Ankara must end the interaction between detente and provocation if the government is interested in the talks, as it has repeatedly stated,” Maas said in Berlin before setting off on his trip to Cyprus and Greece.
While Germany holds the rotating presidency of the EU, Maas has been mediating between Ankara and Athens.
The minister called on Ankara to remain open to talks and not resume seismic exploration of gas reserves in the disputed waters, adding that Germany sympathized with Cyprus and Greece as EU partners.
Read more:Greece and Turkey: a difficult friendship
Athens-Ankara tensions erupt
Turkish naval authorities announced on Sunday that the Oruc Reis vessel would resume gas exploration south of the Greek island of Kastellorizo on Monday and stay there for 10 days.
The ship would continue its exploration work, drill and “protect our rights,” Turkey’s Energy Minister Fatih Donmez tweeted.
Athens condemned the move and accused Ankara of “systematically undermining peace and security in the region.”
“We call on Turkey to immediately reverse its decision,” the Foreign Ministry in Athens said, adding that it should “immediately cease its illegal actions.”
Greece said that the return of the Oruc Reis showed that Turkey was not trustworthy and unwilling to negotiate.
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry criticized Greece’s claims as “unfounded” and “incompatible with international law”.
Cyprus also disagrees with Turkey over its gas drilling.
Turkey and Greece, both members of NATO, have long disputed over natural gas reserves and maritime borders. Both countries claim the right to drill the same areas in the same part of the eastern Mediterranean.
Tense relations between the EU and Turkey
On Monday, Germany said it had “taken note” of Turkey’s announcement on energy prospecting.
“If there really were exploration in this disputed area of the sea, it would be a very regrettable step and, from our point of view, reckless,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters in Berlin.
“It would delay efforts to reduce tensions … and it would certainly be anything but conducive to the continued development of relations between the EU and Turkey,” Seibert said, adding that energy prospecting would also be “anything but useful for development. future”. or progress in EU-Turkey relations “.
mvb / aw (AP, dpa, Reuters)
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