The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus President Dervis Eroglu has sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calling for the re-launch of negotiations with the Greek Cyprus administration.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus President Dervis Eroglu has sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calling for the re-launch of negotiations with the Greek Cyprus administration.

According to a statement issued by the president’s office Saturday, Eroglu called on the Greek-Cyprus side to return to the negotiating table.

The letter comes after the Greek Cyprus administration suspended talks on October 8 in retaliation for Turkey’s sending a warship to monitor an oil and gas exploration mission off the Cyprus coast.

Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot government have strongly opposed any unilateral move by the Greek Cypriot administration to explore any hydrocarbon resources around the island, saying that its natural resources should be exploited in a fair manner under a united Cyprus.

The negotiations between the two sides had resumed last February after a two-year pause.