Cyprus intends to extract gas in Aegean Sea despite objections from Turkey

Cyprus considers Turkey's objections in connection with the intention
of the Cyprian authorities to exploit the gas fields discovered in the
economic zone of Cyprus to be ungrounded, RIA Novosti reports on Monday,
quoting the Foreign Minister of Cyprus, Erato Kozakou-Markulli.

The Republic of Cyprus provoked strong dissatisfaction on the part
of Turkey when it initiated exploration works in its economic zone in
the Mediterranean. Ankara argues that the possible discovery of
minerals could lead to a situation in which the Greek Cypriots would
refuse to solve the so-called Cyprus problem. Cyprus has been divided
since 1974. The Greek and Turkish Cypriots are holding talks on
reunification, but have not achieved any results yet.

According to Kozakou-Markulli, Cyprus is acting entirely within the
United Nations Convention on the Sea Law, and that its intention to
exploit the deposits are subject to the sovereign rights of the
island.