(ANSA-AFP) - ISTANBUL, 28 JUL - Turkey on Tuesday said it
had agreed to suspend "for a while" gas and oil search of one of
its vessels off a Greek island amid tensons over energy
exploration in the eastern Mediterranean. Greece's navy last
week said it had deployed ships in the Aegean in "heightened
readiness" after Turkey announced plans for energy exploration
near the island -- an area Ankara claims is on its continental
shelf. Turkish vessel "Oruc Reis" planned to search for
hydrocarbons "180 kilometres (110 miles) from the island of Meis
(Kastellorizo in Greek)", presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin
told private broadcaster CNN-Turk. "Despite this our president
said while the negotiations are continuing, let's be
constructive and hold (energy search) for a while," he said.
Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron called for Turkey to
be "sanctioned" and accused Ankara of treading on the rights of
Greece and Cyprus, as all three nations scramble to exploit
recently discovered gas reserves. Kalin on Tuesday said Greece
was an "important neighbour" to Turkey and added: "We are ready
to discuss (all disputes) with Greece without any conditions."
(ANSA-AFP). (ANSA).
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