Turkey sent a vessel into the eastern Mediterranean in search of gas stores on Friday, days after it warned Cyprus not to go ahead with its own gas exploration activities in Israeli waters.

Turkey contests a Cypriot-Israeli accord signed last year to create an exclusive economic zone in the waters between them.

In retaliation, Turkey and the Turkish-Cypriot administration signed their own continental shelf agreement on Wednesday, permitting the state-run Turkish Petroleum Corporation to begin exploration north of the divided island.

Ankara argues that Nicosia should not tap resources in the region until the decades-long standoff between Cyprus' Turkish north and Greek south is resolved. It says the spoils of such resources should be shared between both communities.

Mutual benefit

Cypriot President Demetris Christofias sought to reassure Turkey that the profits of gas exploration would benefit both the Turkish and Greek communities on Cyprus regardless of whether a settlement had been reached.

On Thursday, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan raised the topic in the speech before the UN General Assembly.

"Turkey expects to see that all parties involved make efforts so that the Greek Cypriot administration ends initiatives that cause tension not only in the island but the region," he said. "Otherwise, we will do what we have to do."

The island of Cyprus has been divided since 1974, after Turkey invaded the northern third of the country in response to a Greek-inspired coup. The breakaway northern Turkish Cypriot region is only recognized by Turkey, whereas the Greek Cypriot south receives international recognition.

Author: Darren Mara (Reuters, AFP)
Editor: Rob Turner