by KG/XINHUA Greece accused Turkey of "provoking tension" over exploitation plans of energy sources off the island of Cyprus on Thursday. "It is sad and paradoxical that Turkey has decided to provoke new tension that undermines the negotiation process for the resolution of the Cyprus issue," said a statement issued by the Greek Foreign Ministry. The announcement was released after the Republic of Cyprus' decision earlier this week to suspend talks on reunifying the ethnically-divided island in response to Ankara's project to search for oil and gas in maritime zones for where drilling licenses have already been issued on the Greek Cypriot side. The Greek Foreign Ministry's statement stressed Turkey's "unproductive" stance came at a politically sensitive time. Firstly, because the international community's attention is focused on the struggle against Islamic militants and confronting the many crisis hotspots in the Middle East and North Africa. Secondly, because peace negotiations between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots are underway in Cyprus based on the joint communique of Feb. 11, 2014, and the United Nations Secretary General's newly-appointed special advisor on Cyprus has just taken up his duties. The island of Cyprus has been divided since 1974 after Turkish military intervened and controlled the north of Cyprus following a coup on the island by the military junta then ruling Greece. Since then, Ankara has not recognized the Republic of Cyprus and over the past two years has objected to the Greek Cypriot's gas search plans. Turkey's announcement a few days ago that it intends to start similar seismic tests and searches off Cyprus' coasts soon was seen as inciting by Greek Cypriots. Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots resumed UN-mediated peace negotiations in February this year after a two-year break.
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