Nicosia has urged Ankara to work towards a political settlement in Cyprus, if it wants to join the dialogue on energy matters, in which several countries of the Eastern Mediterranean participate.

“Various countries of the region do participate in an ongoing dialogue concerning energy matters and if Turkey wants to be part of this discussion, it needs to work towards the solution of the Cyprus problem,” Government Spokesman Nicos Christodoulides has told CNA.

Invited to comment on statements made yesterday by Turkish Premier Ahmet Davutoglu following the Turkey-Greece High-Level Cooperation Council meeting in Athens, the Spokesman said that the government awaits formal briefing by the Greek government on what was discussed between Davutoglu and Greek PM Antonis Samaras.

He said the countries of the region do engage in a dialogue on energy and other matters and only one country is absent from these discussions for one particular reason.

“If Turkey wishes to participate in this dialogue, then this reason must cease to exist and this is the solution of the Cyprus problem. Turkey must first work towards a political settlement in Cyprus because this is the foremost and most important incentive to enable Ankara take part in the discussions”, the Spokesman pointed out.

Turkey, whose troops occupy one third of Cyprus since they invaded in 1974, does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus, an EU member state since 2004.

Numerous rounds of UN-backed talks to reunite the island under a federal roof have failed to yield results. Recently, President of the Republic Nicos Anastasiades decided to suspend his participation in the talks, following Turkey`s provocative acts in the island’s exclusive economic zone.

Turkish seismic exploration vessel Barbaros entered Cyprus` exclusive economic zone, a few days after Turkey had issued an illegal maritime order (NAVTEX) for the area.