ANKARA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th September, 2020) Turkey's Oruc Reis research vessel, which was conducting exploration drilling in the Greek-claimed waters in the Eastern Mediterranean, has returned to its base near Antalya, the TRT broadcaster reported on Sunday.
According to the broadcaster, the Oruc Reis and two accompanying research vessels, Ataman and Cengiz Han, have all returned to the base on Saturday night as envisioned by the deadline of a related Navtex alert on exploration drilling.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis welcomed the decision and called it a positive step to ease Athens-Ankara tensions over maritime rights.
"The return of Oruc Reis is a positive first step, I hope there will be continuity. We want to talk with Turkey but in a climate without provocations," the prime minister told reporters, as quoted by the Ekathimerini newspaper.
Tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean have been escalating recently around Turkey's exploration for gas in waters which Cyprus and Greece claim as their exclusive economic zones. Ankara and Athens also accuse each other of signing illegal deals on maritime rights with third countries. Greece has said that dialogue would be possible only after Turkish vessels would leave what Athens calls its continental shelf.
