Extraordinary EU Meeting To Discuss Belarus, E. Med.

The EU Foreign Affairs Council will hold an extraordinary meeting Friday, the EU foreign policy chief announced Wednesday.

"We will discuss urgent issues and address the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Belarus presidential elections, as well as developments in Lebanon," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell wrote on Twitter.

Foreign ministers of the member states will meet via video link.

On Tuesday, Greece called for an extraordinary EU Foreign Affairs Council session after a meeting between Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Meanwhile, Dendias will meet US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Vienna Friday, the Greek Foreign Ministry announced Wednesday.

Turkey's decision to announce new exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean Monday via Navtex raised alarms in Greece as Prime Minister Mitsotakis held a series of meetings and phone calls yesterday, including US Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt and NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg.

Greece's controversial move last week to sign a maritime delimitation agreement with Egypt, which Turkey says violates its continental shelf and maritime rights, sparked tension between the two neighbors.

Ankara accuses Greece of pursuing maximalist policies in the Eastern Mediterranean and underlines that its maritime claims violate Turkey's sovereign rights.

Turkey's drill ship MTA Oruc Reis, along with ships Ataman and Cengiz Han, will continue seismic activities in the Eastern Mediterranean through Aug. 23. -