ANKARA, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) — Turkey will continue its seismic operations in the eastern Mediterranean following a recent incident involving a Greek frigate, Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez said on Friday.
The Turkish Naval Forces have reviewed the naval engagement rules following the incident and the new rules will be released soon, Donmez said at a press conference in the western city of Izmir.
Earlier on Thursday, the Turkish navy stopped a Greek frigate from interfering with a Turkish research vessel.
The Turkish vessel, named Barbaros Hayrettin Pasa, was operating in the eastern Mediterranean.
Turkey later dispatched another frigate and a submarine to protect the research vessel after Turkish frigate TCG Giresun’s blocking, a Turkish official told Xinhua.
Turkey on Thursday warned Greece against taking actions in the Mediterranean that would spark tensions.
In a statement, Turkish Foreign Ministry called on Greece to “abstain from the acts that would cause an escalation in the region.”
Turkey and Greece have long disputed over claims of Greek and Turkish Cypriots for offshore oil and gas sources in the Mediterranean.
Turkey, Greece and Cyprus internationally-recognized Greek Cypriot government have overlapping claims of jurisdiction for offshore oil and gas research in eastern Mediterranean.
Turkey has accelerated drilling activities in the Mediterranean since last year, and plans to drill the country’s first well in Mediterranean by the end of this year.