Cyprus warned Turkey agains possible intrusion of the Oruc Reis research vessel. It was done using the same channel Turkey announced – by using Navtex, a naval pager system.
Cyprus on Saturday issued an counter-Navtex following Turkey`s latest announcement that the seismic ship Oruc Reis would be conducting research in the Eastern Mediterranean until December 16.
The Cyprus News Agency has learned from the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Larnaca that the Turkish Navtex affects to a small degree Cyprus` exclusive economic zone in the north of the island, in an area from Kyrenia to Turkey.
In the anti-Navtex, Cyprus noted that the Turkish Navtex violates its sovereign rights.
On Friday Antalya Station issued the Turkish Navtex saying that the Oruc Reis would be accompanied in its research operation by ships Ataman and Genghis Khan from the Turkish navy.
The Turkish move follows the harassment of Maltese-flagged Nautical Geo, which had been carrying out surveys inside Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone, under the excuse it was violating the Turkish continental shelf.
The Nautical Geo was surveying the area between Cyprus and the Greek island of Crete for the EastMed pipeline project before it was chased away by Turkish navy vessels.