Greece welcomes no extension for Oruc Reis

Turkey’s seismic research vessel 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.

NATO members Turkey and Greece have overlapping claims to continental shelves and rights to potential energy resources in the eastern Mediterranean. Tensions flared last month after Ankara sent Oruc Reis to map out possible oil and gas drilling prospects in waters claimed by Greece, Cyprus and Turkey.

Turkey’s navy had issued an advisory earlier this month saying that the Oruc Reis would continue operations in the area until Sept. 12.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had said the ship would continue exploratory operations for longer but no extension to the advisory has been issued so far.

Refinitiv ship tracking data showed Oruc Reis, along with two accompanying vessels, had returned to a location just off the coast of Antalya on Sunday.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis welcomed the move, saying on Sunday the return of Turkish survey vessel Oruc Reis back to its southern province of Atntalya was a positive first step to ease tensions with Turkey over offshore natural resources.

"The return of Oruc Reis is a positive first step, I hope there will be continuity. We want to talk with Turkey but in a climate without provocations," Mitsotakis told reporters in Thessaloniki.