Intel: US condemns Turkey's decision to redeploy ship to Greek waters
The State Department called Ankara's plan to redeploy the Oruc Reis drilling ship a "calculated provocation."
The US government urged Turkey not to redeploy a seismic research vessel to Greek-claimed waters on Tuesday in the strongest statement yet from Washington on a dispute that threatens to open a rift in the NATO alliance.
“Turkey’s announcement unilaterally raises tensions in the region and deliberately complicates the resumption of crucial exploratory talks between our NATO allies Greece and Turkey,” State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Coercion, threats, intimidation, and military activity will not resolve tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean,” the statement read. “We urge Turkey to end this calculated provocation and immediately begin exploratory talks with Greece.”
Why it matters: Turkey announced Sunday it would dispatch the Oruc Reis drilling ship again, issuing a maritime notice indicating the vessel would approach within 12 kilometers (seven miles) of the coast of the Greek island of Kastellorizo.
