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Turkey continues excavations in the eastern Mediterranean
Turkey announced the extension of reconnaissance and exploration operations carried out by the ship “Oroch Rais” in the disputed area of the eastern Mediterranean, in a new provocative step that would increase tension in the region.
Turkey said it had decided to extend the reconnaissance period for the Oroch Rais vessel until November 4, a step that would fuel tension in the region.
A notification issued by the Turkish Navy late Saturday night indicated that the ship Oroch Rais and the ships “Ataman” and “Genghis Khan” would continue to operate in an area south of the Greek island of Rhodes until 4 November, according to Reuters.
It is worth noting that Turkey and Greece, two members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), disagree on the extent of each other’s continental shelf, as well as overlapping claims for rights over oil and gas resources. in the eastern Mediterranean.
The conflict erupted last August when Turkey sent the ship “Oroch Rais” into waters to which Greece and Cyprus claim to be entitled.
An earlier notification had indicated that reconnaissance work in the region, which Ankara says is taking place within its continental shelf, will continue until October 27.
Ankara withdrew the president from Uruç last month to make way for diplomacy ahead of an EU summit during which Cyprus tried to impose sanctions on Turkey, but Ankara returned the ship this month, prompting an irate response from Greece. France and Germany.
After the summit, the European Union said it would punish Turkey if it continued its operations in the region, in a move that Ankara said would increase tension in relations between it and the bloc.
