News Agencies – Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and his U.S. counterpart Mike Pompeo discussed reducing tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean and the current situation in Libya at a meeting Sunday in the capital of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo.
A written statement by the U.S. Department of State said Çavuşoğlu and Pompeo discussed issues of common concern, including reducing tensions between regional actors in the Eastern Mediterranean, where Turkey is carrying out energy exploration. Parties also discussed the situation in war-torn Libya
After the meeting in Santo Domingo, Pompeo said on Twitter they discussed “the urgent need to reduce tensions”.
Separately Çavuşoğlu, in a briefing afterwards, said he explained the “rightful cause” pursued by Turkey in the region and said Ankara would “continue to defend its interests”.
Turkey announced last Monday that its seismic vessel Oruç Reis will conduct research in the region until Aug. 23. Turkey sent out a message on Navtex, the international maritime navigational telex system, announcing the vessel would be carrying out activities off of Kastellorizo between Aug. 10 and Aug. 23.
Seismic surveys are part of the preparatory work for potential hydrocarbon exploration. Oruç Reis seismic research ship can perform all kinds of geological, geophysical, hydrographic and oceanographic research, especially the continental shelf and natural resource searches.
