Greece seeks emergency EU meeting on Turkey

ATHENS: Greek’s prime minister on Tuesday called for the EU to hold an emergency foreign ministers’ meeting to discuss the country’s burgeoning dispute with Turkey in the eastern Mediterranean.

Tensions were stoked on Monday when Ankara dispatched the research ship Oruc Reis accompanied by Turkish naval vessels off the Greek island of Kastellorizo, where Turkey disputes Greek maritime rights.

The incident is the latest spat over energy exploration in the gas-rich eastern Mediterranean, a frequent source of disputes between Turkey and neighbours including Greece, Cyprus and Israel.

“The foreign minister (will) request an emergency meeting of the European Union foreign affairs council,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ office said.

A spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the situation was extremely worrying and needed to be solved through dialogue. “Apparently the developments on the ground unfortunately show that... more needs to be done in order to defuse the tensions and reverse the very negative and unfortunate trend of escalation,” spokesman Peter Stano told reporters.

“That’s why (Borrell) stated that he is deploying all efforts necessary to re-establish the dialogue, positive constructive dialogue and to facilitate the re-engagement, and these efforts are ongoing.”

Marine tracking on Tuesday located the vessel southeast of the island of Crete. It is escorted by a Turkish navy flotilla and shadowed by Greek warships. An official Turkish picture shows the Oruc Reis escorted by five warships. Turkey has announced the vessel would carry out activities between August 10 and 23.

Turkey’s foreign minister on Tuesday said his country would step up energy exploration in the eastern Mediterranean and would not “compromise” its rights.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Ankara will issue licences for new areas in the “western part of our continental shelf” from the end of August.

“We will conduct all kinds of seismic research, drilling activities. Our determination is absolute,” Cavusoglu told reporters. “We will defend the rights of Turkey... in the eastern Mediterranean and we will not compromise in any way on this,” he said.

A similar crisis last month was averted after Turkey pulled the Oruc Reis back to hold talks with Greece and rotating EU chair Germany. But the mood soured last week after Greece and Egypt signed an agreement to set up an exclusive economic zone in the region.