Turkish research vessel still at port
Turkey's embassy in Washington has erased its tweet announcing Turkish vessel Oruc Reis has started searching for oil and gas in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Turkish research vessel Oruc Reis is still anchored near Antalya, Turkey.
But the embassy has kept its tweets defending the research and attempting to debunk Greece's position that the research activities are infringing upon Greece's continental shelf.
#Greece pretends that this research area is within the Greek continental shelf, in an attempt to justify its maximalist claims based on the Island of #Castellorizo.
— Turkish Embassy DC (@TurkishEmbassy) July 25, 2020
Many countries, including Greece, dispute Turkey's interpretation.
On Thursday, US Ambassador to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt reiterated the US view that islands have “exactly the same” continental shelf and exclusive economic zone rights as does any mainland territory.
"I have also made a point on many occasions and I will make it again today, that the United States adheres to the principal of international maritime law that islands, including Kastellorizo,” Pyatt told state news agency ANA.
