WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th August, 2020) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias met in Vienna, Austria, where they discussed diplomatic strategies to reduce tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, the State Department said in a readout of the session on Friday.
"Secretary Pompeo and Foreign Minister Dendias discussed the strong US-Greece bilateral relationship and the urgent need to reduce tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean," the readout said.
Tensions in the region stem from recent discoveries of natural gas in areas with overlapping territorial claims.
The latest dispute surfaced after Turkey's Oruc Reis research vessel began exploratory drillings in waters claimed by Greece.
Earlier on Friday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu warned that Turkey would respond to any hostile action against the vessel, Sputnik reported.
Cavusoglu's remarks during a visit to Switzerland cited unconfirmed reports that the Greek navy frigate Limnos and Turkish frigate Kemalreis had intercepted each other near the Oruc Reis.
Tensions between the two NATO members surged earlier in August after Greece and Egypt signed a maritime deal on an exclusive economic zone in the region.
