Lavrov calls on Greece, Turkey to resolve dispute

Moscow on Monday called on Greece and Turkey to resolve their territorial sea dispute through "direct dialogue."

Both new and existing tensions should be settled "in accordance with international law," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during a meeting with Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias in Athens.

Also Monday, Greece claimed that Turkey plans to carry out a maritime military exercise on Oct. 28, a Greek national holiday, just hours after NATO’s secretary general said both Greece and Turkey had called off wargames on each other’s national holidays.

Neighbors and NATO allies Greece and Turkey have had often frosty relations through the years.

Most recently they have been locked in a bitter dispute in over maritime boundaries and energy exploration rights in the Mediterranean Sea.