https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/r...-gas-69dgb2k5d
Row ignites between Turkey and Greece over Mediterranean gas
Turkey is heading for a confrontation with Greece in the Mediterranean after sending a survey ship into Greek waters off the island of Kastellorizo. The
Oruc Reis, which has previously used to search for gas under Cypriot waters, sailed into the area hours after Turkey issued a Navtex maritime warning to alert other vessels. It said that three Turkish ships would be conducting surveys.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Greek prime minister, chaired an emergency meeting yesterday. In a statement issued later, the Greek foreign ministry told Turkey to “immediately cease its illegal activities, which undermine peace and security in the region”.
Greece put its armed forces on high alert and issued an anti-Navtex, instructing all mariners to ignore the earlier notice from Turkey.
However, Fatih Donmez, the Turkish energy minister, wrote on Twitter that “our efforts to secure Turkey’s energy independence in the Mediterranean . . . will continue uninterrupted”.
The dispute over exploration rights in the Mediterranean began last week when Greece and Egypt signed a deal demarcating the sea boundary between their exclusive economic zones. That area cuts across an agreement between Turkey and the Libyan government of national accord in November.
Greece and Turkey do not recognise each other’s maritime areas.