The Republic of Cyprus will not consent to the opening of the chapter of Energy in the framework of Turkey’s EU negotiations for as long as the Turkish government continues to maintain the same provocative stance, imposing obstacles on Cyprus’ actions in the field of energy, Government Spokesman Stephanos Stephanou has said.

Invited to comment on an article, published by Turkish News Agency, that there is a recommendation from the European Commission to the European Parliament and the member states for the opening of the Energy chapter, Stephanou said that the opening of the negotiation chapters falls in the European Council’s jurisdiction.

“The Republic of Cyprus’ position is the same”, he stressed. It is the same, he explained, with the decision to freeze in 2009 six of Turkey’s negotiation chapters due to the country’s provocations.

“The Republic of Cyprus’ position is the same, that Turkey should officially commit towards the EU that it will stop provoking the Republic of Cyprus and imposing obstacles to the Cyprus’ efforts on the issue of energy”, Stephanou concluded.

Recently, senior Turkish government officials have warned that Ankara will not hesitate to deploy warships in the Mediterranean, if the Republic of Cyprus proceeds with the exploitation of its natural resources in its Exclusive Economic Zone.

Houston-based company ‘Noble Energy’ is expected to begin drilling in Cyprus’ EEZ late September. The company has a concession to look for hydrocarbons in an offshore field in Cyprus` EEZ, south of Cyprus, known as Block 12.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Turkey does not recognise the Republic of Cyprus and has said it will not talk to Nicosia, when it assumes the rotating six monthly EU Presidency in the second half of 2012.