The United States slammed on Tuesday Turkey’s renewed push to send the research ship "Oruc Reis" to the eastern Mediterranean to carry out a seismic survey, a decision seen by Athens as a "direct threat to peace".
The U.S accused Ankara of stoking tensions and ‘deliberately’ complicating the resumption of any talks with Greece.
“The United States deplores Turkey’s October 11 announcement of renewed Turkish survey activity in areas over which Greece asserts jurisdiction in the Eastern Mediterranean,” State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.
"Coercion, threats, intimidation, and military activity will not resolve tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean. We urge Turkey to end this calculated provocation and immediately begin exploratory talks with Greece. Unilateral actions cannot build trust and will not produce enduring solutions." she added.
The Turkish navy announced plans late Sunday to send the research ship "Oruc Reis" to the eastern Mediterranean to carry out a seismic survey, a decision seen by Athens as a "direct threat to peace".
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