[ad_1]
image copyrightReuters
A Turkish research vessel at the center of a dispute with Greece over oil and gas exploration in a disputed area of the eastern Mediterranean has returned to waters near southern Turkey.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis welcomed the move as a “positive first step”.
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said the move did not mean that Turkey “renounces our rights there.”
Tensions flared when Ankara sent the research ship to inspect an area claimed by Greece, Turkey and Cyprus.
Since then, Ankara has faced possible sanctions from the European Union, which supports Greece and Cyprus.
Mr Mitsotakis announced that Greece was “strengthening its armed forces” and would purchase 18 French Rafale fighter jets, four frigates and four helicopters from the navy. He said that the Greek army would increase the number of troops by 15,000 over the next five years.
Greece and Turkey are members of NATO, but they have a history of border disputes and competing claims on maritime rights.
On August 10, Turkey sent the seismic research vessel Oruc Reis, accompanied by two auxiliary vessels, to search for potentially rich oil and gas deposits south of the Greek island of Kastellorizo. At the time, the Greek Foreign Ministry called the move a “serious new escalation” that “exposed” Turkey’s “destabilizing role”.
There are also tensions around Cyprus over rival exploration rights. The Republic of Cyprus and Greece do not accept such rights for Turkey-controlled North Cyprus in the region.
On Sunday, Akar confirmed that the Oruc Reis had returned to Turkish waters. Ship tracking websites showed it near the port of Antalya.
“There will be planned back and forth movements,” Akar told the state-run Anadolu news agency.
Last week, the Turkish navy said the Oruc Reis would continue operations in the area until September 12. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said exploratory work will continue, but there are no plans so far for an extension of the ship’s mission.
The pro-government Turkish newspaper Yeni Safak said the decision not to extend the ship’s mission was “a step towards giving diplomacy a chance.”
image copyrightReuters“This is a positive first step. I hope there will be more of them,” Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis told a press conference in Thessaloniki on Sunday.
France, which is at odds with Turkey over the crisis in Libya, recently deployed two Rafale fighter jets and a naval frigate in the eastern Mediterranean due to tensions between Greece and Turkey.
President Emmanuel Macron said the French military would monitor the situation. He also urged Turkey to halt oil and gas exploration in disputed waters.
