Exploratory talks between Greece, Turkey to resume on Jan. 25

The new, 61st round of exploratory talks between Athens and Ankara over territorial claims in the Mediterranean Sea will start on January 25 in Istanbul, Greece's Foreign Ministry announced on Monday evening.

Speaking from Lisbon earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said he hoped the talks would pick up from where they left off in March 2016, when the last round broke down.

Mitsotakis said Athens seeks a fertile relationship with Ankara, adding that the country will discuss the issue of disputed maritime zones.

The two ciuntries have held talks between 2002-2016 which were complicated by the issues that each side were willing to discuss.