Athens has reacted strongly and “with great resentment” to Turkey’s decision to extend the NAVTEX notification it issued for explorations by the seismic vessel Barbaros in Cyprus’ territorial waters. Greek Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos described today Ankara’s renewed intervention as a “flagrant violation of international law and a blatant violation of the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus, a member state of the European Union.” The Greek government believes that Turkey had long decided to proceed with the extension of the NAVTEX notification, thus undermining directly any chance of seeing the bicommunal talks resuming again on the island. (source: CNA)