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| File photo: Turkish seismic research vessel Oruc Reis is escorted by Turkish Navy ships as it sets sail in the Mediterranean Sea, off Antalya, Turkey |
The United States on Tuesday said it ‘deplores’ Turkey’s Oct. 11 announcement to send a ship for seismic surveys in the eastern Mediterranean, accusing Ankara of stoking tensions in the region and ‘deliberately’ complicating the resumption of talks with Greece.
“Coercion, threats, intimidation, and military activity will not resolve tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean. We urge Turkey to end this calculated provocation and immediately begin exploratory talks with Greece,” State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.
