NICOSIA, July 18 (Xinhua) -- The Greek side in the Cyprus dispute said on Tuesday that they are ready to resume negotiations to end the four decades long partition of the eastern Mediterranean island following the failure of a conference to reach an agreement 12 days ago.
However, Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, on a visit to the Turkish occupied part of Cyprus, said "this procedure cannot continue forever".
Greece's Foreign Minister Nicos Kotzias said after taking part in a meeting of the National Council, an advisory body to Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, that Greece will seek ways to resume negotiations.
Kotzias alluded to the possibility of exercising leverage on Turkey in its negotiations with the European Union either on a special relation with the group or full accession.
Commenting on an unannounced visit of Turkey's Cavusoglu to the occupied part of Cyprus, Kotzias said that it was a good thing that he followed his example, as long as he had the same aims.
"I am here to discuss about effective ways for a future negotiation which will be solution oriented," Kotzias said.
A Cypriot government spokesman said that Kotzias also discussed with his Cypriot counterpart, Ioannis Kasoulides, ways of promoting new reunification negotiations.
Cavusoglu had talks with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci and later sat at dinner with all Turkish Cypriot politicians.
Turkey has already sent two frigates and a submarine to monitor the drilling done on behalf of French Total.
It also announced on Monday that it will carry out a seismic survey in an area claimed by Cyprus, with a ship already sailing in the region.
Cyprus was divided into a Turkish-Cypriot state in the north and a Greek-Cypriot administration in the south after a 1974 military coup.
