The Cyprus government said Wednesday it has protested to the U.N. and European Union over Turkish search and rescue exercises in the breakaway north of the divided island.
The government said that the three-day maneuvers, which began Tuesday and involve both Turkish Cypriot and Turkish forces, were a breach of its internationally recognized sovereignty over the entire island.
"Certainly the onus is on us to denounce such violations and illegalities and we have lodged our protests," government spokesman Stephanos Steophanou told reporters.
"The crux of the matter is that Turkey continues to violate the air space and territorial waters of the Cyprus Republic," he added.
The spokesman said the exercises in the northeastern Karpas peninsula could be linked to Cyprus' search for oil in offshore waters which Turkey is strongly opposed to.
Greek Cypriot authorities reject Turkish claims that the search for mineral wealth excludes Turkish Cypriots from enjoying the benefits.
The Cyprus government expects to launch a second round of hydrocarbon exploration licenses for some of the 12 offshore blocks up for grabs later this year although no specific date has been given.
Cyprus, an E.U. member state, has been divided since 1974 when Turkey seized and occupied its northern third in response to an Athens-engineered coup in Nicosia seeking to unite the island with Greece.