If Turkey really wants to negotiate the reunification of Cyprus, it must first recognize the Republic of Cyprus, said Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, commenting on the statement of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on the fair division of the island's natural gas reserves, Cyprus Mail reports.

“What I have to say to Mr Cavusoglu, is that if he truly wishes for us to hold talks, then first and foremost they need to recognize the Republic of Cyprus.

“Secondly,” he went on, “and equally important, they must accept our proposal, our invitation either to have a dialogue to delineate the demarcation lines for the Exclusive Economic Zones of the Republic and of Turkey, or to go to arbitration.”

Cavusoglu said earlier that Europe needs to make efforts and convince the Republic of Cyprus to settle the problem of the divided island in the interests of gas supplies to the EU