The Turkish government Monday issued a new authorization for seismic surveys to be carried out in waters claimed by Greece, setting the stage for a new clash between Ankara and Athens.
The Navigation Telex issued by the Turkish Naval Forces’ Office of Navigation, Hydrography and Oceanography (OHNO) green-lights seismic surveys to be undertaken by the Oruç Reis — a research vessel owned by the General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration (MTA) — in the Southeastern Aegean Sea between August 10 and 23.
Ankara’s decision to conduct surveys in the area — located directly south of the Greek islands of Karpathos, Rhodes and Kastellorizo — comes days after Greece and Egypt signed a maritime demarcation agreement that Turkey refused to recognize.
The Turkish military also Monday began to conduct naval exercises between Rhodes and Kastellorizo.
Turkey’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Fatih Dönmez, confirmed in a tweet that the research vessel had reached the area of exploration: “83 million [Turks] are behind you, Oruç Reis,” he added.
According to Athens-based daily Kathimerini, Greece’s general staff met this morning and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had called a meeting of the National Security Council at midday. The Greek military was reportedly on high alert and monitoring Turkish movements.
Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulidis was also reported to have spoken to his Greek and Egyptian counterparts, Nikos Dendias and Sameh Soukri, to discuss the developments.