Turkey has again extended its energy exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean through its ship the Oruç Reis, this time by 11 days, until Sept. 12.
TURKEY AUTHORIZED ORUÇ REIS TO CONTINUE ITS ACTIVITIES EVEN AFTER GREECE-EGYPT DEAL
Turkey Monday night issued a Navtex (navigational alert) announcing an extension of the Oruç Reis’s research activities accompanied by the Cengiz Han and Ataman vessels.
Navtex is a maritime communications system that allows ships to inform other vessels about their presence in an area, as well as other information.
Earlier this month Turkey resumed energy exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean after Greece and Egypt signed a controversial maritime delimitation deal, spurning Turkey’s goodwill gesture in halting its search.
Declaring the Greek-Egyptian deal “null and void,” Turkey authorized the Oruç Reis to continue its activities in an area within Turkey’s continental shelf.
Turkey has consistently opposed Greece’s efforts to declare an exclusive economic zone based on small islands near Turkish shores, violating the interests of Turkey, the country with the longest coastline in the Mediterranean.