Greece welcomes Turkish survey ship's return to Med Sea port

Greek government welcomed a Turkish survey vessel's return to port Sunday from a disputed area of eastern Mediterranean that has been at heart of a summer stand-off between Greece and Turkey over energy rights.

Oruc Reis research ship returned to near sourn Turkish port of Antalya for first time in weeks after Turkey anunced in July that it was dispatching a vessel to work in waters that Greece claims are its exclusive jurisdiction.

"This is a positive signal. We will see how this develops to make a proper assessment,″ Greek government spokesman Stelios Petsas told TV channel Skai.

dispute over potential oil and gas reserves has triggered a military build-up in eastern Mediterranean. minal NATO allies Turkey and Greece both dispatched warships to area where Oruc Reis was engd in seismic research and conducted military exercises to assert ir claims.

NATO intervened, organizing talks between two countries' militaries to prevent a potential armed conflict.