Turkey to continue exploration in East Med till Nov. 14

By Nuran Erkul Kaya

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkey on Sunday issued another navigational telex, or Navtex, for the area in the Eastern Mediterranean where it will conduct seismic research activities until Nov. 14.

According to the announcement, the mission, which will be carried out by the Oruc Reis seismic research vessel, will continue for 10 days starting Thursday.

A Navtex is a maritime communications system that allows ships to inform other vessels about their presence in an area as well as other information.

The Oruc Reis will carry out seismic studies in the Eastern Mediterranean together with two other vessels, the Ataman and Cengiz Han.

It will conduct various geological, geophysical, hydrographic and oceanographic surveys, especially of the continental shelf, while also searching for natural resources.

In August, Turkey resumed energy exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean after Greece and Egypt signed a controversial maritime delimitation deal, spurning Turkey's goodwill gesture in halting its search.

Declaring the Greek-Egyptian deal "null and void," Turkey authorized the Oruc Reis to continue its activities in an area within Turkey's continental shelf.

*Writing by Erdogan Cagatay Zontur