Cyprus says it will press ahead with oil search

Cyprus said on Thursday it would press ahead with plans to open the Mediterranean for oil exploration despite objections from its northern neighbour Turkey and estranged Turkish Cypriots.

In a growing dispute which risks undermining peace talks on the ethnically divided island, Greek Cypriots said they would continue offshore research, and that they may extend exploration efforts next year.

"Our research is going ahead based on a schedule. As Republic of Cyprus, we will exercise our sovereign rights and we will not stop, or cede (those rights), to anyone," said Antonis Paschalides, Cyprus's commerce, industry and tourism minister.

Cyprus's Greek Cypriot government has complained to the United Nations twice in the past month that Turkish warships harassed its research vessels.

Turkey has said the vessels were in its waters, while Turkish Cypriots say the Greek Cypriots have no right to explore for either oil or gas while the island remains divided.

Cyprus was split in a Turkish invasion in 1974 triggered by a brief Greek-inspired coup. Its Greek Cypriots represent the island internationally and in the European Union, which Turkey seeks to join.

Cyprus has charted offshore plots rimming the island's southern coast in an area it says it has rights over, based on international maritime conventions and sea boundary agreements with Lebanon and Egypt. Turkey does not recognise those agreements.

Nicosia is now negotiating delineation of the boundary, known as an exclusive economic zone, with Syria.

"We would want to reach an agreement of course at a suitable time," said Syrian Oil Minister Sufian Alao, who was visiting Cyprus on Thursday. "We hope to find good reserves from oil and gas in the Mediterranean. This area is promising."

Cyprus put 11 offshore blocks for exploration on the market last year, and got bids for three of them. "We hope to hold a second licencing round early next year," said Paschalides.