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| Turkish seismic research vessel Oruc Reis |
The Turkish seismic survey ship has reached the location in the eastern Mediterranean where it will operate and was beginning to take readings on Wednesday, Turkeyโs Energy Minister Fatih Donmez said.
In a move reviving tensions with Greece, Ankara sent the Oruc Reis vessel to a disputed area near the Greek island of Kastellorizo off Turkeyโs coast on Monday. Greece said it was a โmajor escalationโ of their dispute over maritime rights and claims to hydrocarbon resources in the region.
โOruc Reis has reached the area in the eastern Mediterranean where it will carry out its activities. Tests began yesterday and we are beginning to receive the first seismic readings today,โ Donmez told a conference by video link.
Turkey had withdrawn the vessel from contested waters in the region last month to โallow diplomacyโ before an European Union summit at which sanctions against Turkey were discussed.
On Tuesday, the United States slammed Turkeyโs decision to send the vessel back, accusing Ankara of unilaterally stoking tensions and โdeliberatelyโ complicating the resumption of talks with Greece.
