NICOSIA, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Cyprus's President Nicos Anastasiades has told UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres that he is committed to resuming negotiations for the reunification of the eastern Mediterranean island from the point they were left two years ago, according to the text of a letter leaked on Friday.
"I have repeatedly reiterated my commitment to the process and resuming the talks the soonest possible from the point where they were interrupted at the Conference in Crans-Montana," said the letter, dated June 14 and published by "Kathimerini" (Daily) newspaper.
Anastasiades said in his six-page letter that he has been working constructively with the UN Secretary General's envoy, Jane Holl Lute, to strike a deal on the terms of reference of renewed talks.
"I am of the strong opinion that lack of agreement in the previous months should not discourage us, but strengthen our resolve and efforts to achieve reunification to the benefit of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots alike," Anastasiades added.
But he said that the Republic of Cyprus was now "confronted with Turkey's aggression", a reference to a drilling being carried out by a Turkish drill ship in an area off the west coast of Cyprus where there are overlapping claims.
"Turkey is escalating tension in the area by engaging in offensive moves inside the exclusive economic zone of Cyprus, thus hampering efforts towards the resumption of negotiations," Anastasiades said.
"As I have already conveyed and I believe is understandable, Turkish actions gravely undermine the prospect of resumption of a meaningful negotiating process," Anastasiades added.
He said that the resumption of the UN-led negotiations was conditional on Turkey ending its activities in the regions claimed by Cyprus as its exclusive economic zone.
Turkey has said its hydrocarbon related activities in the Eastern Mediterranean region "are based on its legitimate rights stemming from the international law".
Ankara argues that some of the gas fields claimed by the Greek Cypriots overlap with the exclusive economic zone of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots living in the northern part of the divided Cyprus Island.
