R/V “Barbaros Hayreddin Paşa” has started a new seismic research activity on the Turkish continental shelf in the Mediterranean as of this morning (18 October).

The statement issued yesterday by the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs is completely baseless with respect to international law. The insistence of Greece on its unrealistic claims will only be counter-productive and harmful as regards bilateral relations and regional stability.

Turkey will continue to exercise its sovereign rights and jurisdiction stemming from international law over its continental shelf. In this regard, we recommend Greece to abstain from the acts that would cause an escalation in the region.