ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey and Greece agreed on confidence-building measures and holding bilateral exploratory talks after weeks of tensions in a dispute over maritime rights in the eastern Mediterranean, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday.

He was speaking after meeting his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias for the first time since the dispute between Ankara and Athens flared up.

Speaking to state media after the Global Security Forum in Slovakia, Cavusoglu said Turkey would host the first round of exploratory talks once they resume, but that the two NATO members were working on setting a date.