The United States is in touch with Turkey about a dispute that is leading to oil tankers being blocked in the region, the White House said on Friday.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that the White House believes the issue can be resolved.
Turkey’s maritime authority said on Thursday it would continue to block the passage of oil tankers without appropriate insurance letters, adding that the insurance checks on ships in its waters was a “routine procedure.”
A Turkish measure in force since the start of the month has caused shipping delays. It requires vessels to provide proof of insurance covering the duration of their transit through the Bosphorus strait or when calling at Turkish ports.
