Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias will meet with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Vienna on Friday, August 14, the Greek Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday morning.
The planned meeting will take place amid a sharp increase in tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.
According to the ministry statement talks between Dendias and Pompeo will focus on the developments in the East Mediterranean Sea under the light of the escalating Turkey’s illegal activities.
At the same time, Cyprus’ Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides told state broadcaster ERT TV that the emergency meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council will take place at 3 pm Friday via teleconference.
The meeting was requested by Greece a day earlier due to the presence of the Turkey seismic research vessel Oruc Reis in the Greek continental shelf.
Dendias declared also on Tuesday that Greece will not accept a fait accompli in the Eastern Mediterranean and called on the Turkish government to recall its research ship from the area.
The Oruc Reis remains in the Greek continental shelf and changed its direction again on Wednesday. It is now reportedly moving in north-eastern direction.
The Oruc Reis is accompanied by auxiliary vessels of the Turkish navy, while the Greek armed forces are monitoring their movements.
