French energy company Total wants to expand its search for oil and gas off the coast of Cyprus, despite threats by Turkey over exploration, a senior company official said Monday.
After joining forces with Italy's ENI in two areas off the Cypriot coast, Total's regional director Stephane Michel said the firm wanted to expand its partnership.
"We applied as well to enter block eight owned by ENI and wanted to come to support that demand," he told reporters following talks with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades.
The country's energy minister, George Lakkotrypis, said there had been "constructive discussions about the next steps" for Total to operate in Cyprus's economic exclusive zone.
He welcomed Total's commitment as "an extremely important development" which will strengthen the energy consortium.
In February, a drill ship contracted by ENI to explore off the Mediterranean island abandoned its mission after Turkish warships blocked its path.
Monday's talks in Nicosia follow a visit to the Cypriot capital last month by ENI chief executive Claudio Descalzi, during which he reaffirmed the company's "strong engagement and commitment toward the country".
After Turkey's intervention against the Italian drilling vessel on February 9, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned foreign energy companies not to "overstep the mark" in the Mediterranean.
Brussels has censured Turkey for its behaviour towards Nicosia's energy search.
The standoff over exploiting energy resources in the eastern Mediterranean has further complicated stalled efforts to reunify Cyprus following the collapse of UN-brokered peace talks last year.
