NICOSIA, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Greece's newly elected Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, paying his first foreign visit in Cyprus since assuming office, said on Monday that Turkey's exploration for natural gas close to the Cypriot shores are impeding EU energy planning.
In remarks after talks with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, he said that they discussed ways of "an organized reaction to Turkish provocations".
"We discussed how to react to the Turkish provocations, with the participation not only of Greece and Cyprus, but also the European Union," Mitsotakis said.
His visit to Cyprus coincided with drilling activities by Turkey in regions close to the shores of Cyprus and amid reports in Turkish media that Turkey is planning to send a survey ship between the Greek islands of Rhodes and Castellorizo, not far off the southern Turkish shores.
"Turkey is flagrantly violating the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus...Cyprus can count on the support of Greece in the context of European Union bodies," Mitsotakis said.
EU has already announced sanctions on Turkey, calling Ankara's actions illegal and a violation of Cyprus's sovereignty.
Mitsotakis also said that he was happy because President Anastasiades will meet with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci on Aug. 9 to discuss about the possibility of resuming the stalled negotiations for the reunification negotiations.
"I am reservedly optimistic that a new framework of mutual understanding will ensue that will allow progress on the Cyprus issue," the Greek Prime Minister said.
Negotiations on the Cyprus issue floundered two years ago at Crans Montana, Switzerland, over power sharing and security arrangements.
Turkey and Cyrus have overlapping claims over regional waters linked to the 45-year-old split of the Island and Ankara's rejection of agreements Cyprus has inked with other Mediterranean states on economic maritime zones.
