ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said on Sunday that the return of the seismic research vessel Oruc Reis to near the country’s southern shores does not mean Ankara has given up on its rights in the eastern Mediterranean.
Speaking to the state-owned Anadolu news agency, Akar said the ship’s return was part of its scheduled operations.
Oruc Reis returned to waters near the southern province of Antalya on Sunday, Refinitiv data showed, a move Greece said was a positive first step in easing tensions over offshore natural resources.
(Reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen; Editing by Susan Fenton)
