ANKARA/ATHENS: Turkey and Greece will resume long-suspended exploratory talks over territorial claims in the Mediterranean Sea that brought them close to conflict last year, on Jan. 25 in Istanbul, the NATO members said on Monday.
Ankara and Athens held 60 rounds of talks from 2002 to 2016, but plans for a resumption of talks last year foundered after disagreement over a Turkish seismic exploration vessel deployed to disputed waters. The ship has since returned to Turkish shores.
“The 61st round of the Exploratory Talks will take place in Istanbul on 25 January 2021,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement, without elaborating. The Greek Foreign Ministry confirmed the date and location in a statement but provided no further details.
Earlier on Monday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said he was inviting Greece for talks by the end of January on all issues, adding that Athens “has no excuse” since the Oruc Reis returned to Turkey.
Greek Prime Minister…