Turkey has offered to return its seismic research vessel ‘Barbaros Hayreddin Pasa’ to port if Nicosia suspends all its exploration activities for natural gas in return, ‘Phileleftheros’ reports
Turkey deployed the vessel in the face of increasing exploration activities in South Cyprus EEZ; Ankara disputes its territorial claims.
“We categorically reject this, we won’t even discuss it,” a source told the semi-state Cyprus News Agency.
The Turkish seismic vessel ‘Barbaros and two support vessels entered the South’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Cyprus on 20th October without permission.
Ankara issued a marine advisory for seismic surveys in international waters, including Cyprus’s Flight Information Region (FIR), as well as its EEZ.
