Turkey announced on Wednesday that its seismic exploration activities in the eastern Mediterranean would continue and could extend south of Crete.
“Of course we can carry out exploration wherever we want and we do so. We will continue our work. The deal signed with Libya, the regions just south of Crete, are part of this,” Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said in an interview with CNN Turk.
Meanwhile, the Oruc Reis research vessel which had been scheduled to end its work on Oct. 22, will now remain at sea area south of the Greek island of Kastellorizo until October 27, the Turkish navy said in a NAVTEX maritime announcement.
Two other vessels, the Ataman and Cengiz Han along with Oruc Reis will continue work in an area.
Oruc Reis’ initial deployment in August sparked a weeks-long diplomatic crisis until the ship returned to port last month.
But last week it was sent out again.
Earlier on Wednesday, Greece urged the EU to reconsider its customs union with Turkey in response to Ankara’s exploration in the Mediterranean, deploring what it termed Turkey’s “imperial fantasies.”