Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis briefed German Chancellor Angela Merkel over the phone on Tuesday afternoon about the provocative actions of Turkey.

The telephone call was made on the occasion of the European Union summit, as Mrs. Merkel is trying to mediate in order to de-escalate tensions. It should be reminded that diplomats from Greece, Germany and Turkey had met in Berlin.

The German Chancellor also had a telephone conversation with Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in which, according to the official announcement, they discussed the developments in Libya and Syria, while it is most likely they also referred to Kastelorizo and the Turkish moves in the area.

The Turkish Navtex for seismic surveys by the Turkish research vessel Oruc Reis covers the period of the next 12 days until August 2 in order to start seismic surveys in the southeastern part of the Greek continental shelf, in an area extending to the Greek Exclusive Economic Zone.