Turkey favours dialogue on sharing natural resources

Ankara: The Turkish National Security Council has said that Ankara is primarily in favour of dialogue on every platform to discuss fair sharing of natural resources in the Eastern Mediterranean region.

The Council held a meeting on Thursday after Turkey and Greece recently agreed to resume exploratory talks on the Eastern Mediterranean to defuse the tensions that flared up over the exploration activities by a Turkish vessel in the area, reports Xinhua news agency.

Turkey will not make concessions in the protection of its rights and interests on the land, sea and air, the Council said in a written statement issued after the meeting. Tensions heightened between Turkey and Greece over energy explorations in the Eastern Mediterranean waters in recent weeks.

Greece considers Turkey's natural gas exploration in the region a violation of international law. The Turkish government, on the other hand, believes the waters belong to the Turkish continental shelf.

In August, Turkey dispatched Oruc Reis, a seismic survey vessel, and two auxiliary navy vessels to the disputed region near the Greek island of Meis, also known as Kastellorizo, where Greece claims lies within its continental shelf. On September 13, Greece welcomed the return of the Turkish vessel to Antalya, while expressing the willingness to enter dialogue with Ankara to de-escalate the recent tensions.