NICOSIA: Cyprus on Monday condemned Turkey's second attempt to drill for oil and gas in waters off the divided island, after the EU warned Ankara to stop its "illegal" activities or face sanctions.

"The Cypriot government condemns in the strongest terms the new illegal Turkish drilling in the east of Cyprus," the presidency said.

It said the second attempt was taking place off the Karpas peninsula, in the northeast of the island, and amounted to "an escalation of continued violations by Turkey".

Ankara has sent a second ship -- the Yavuz -- for exploratory activities off eastern Cyprus, after its Fatih vessel entered the island's exclusive economic zone in the west in May.

The region near the island is believed have rich natural gas deposits, triggering a race between Turkey and EU member Cyprus, which has ramped up exploration in the eastern Mediterranean.

Turkey's first drilling attempts prompted EU leaders in June to warn Ankara of "targeted and appropriate" sanctions if it did not stop its "illegal activities".

The Cyprus government said Monday that "Turkey continues to violate international law... disrespecting the calls of the European Union and the international community".

Ankara says its actions abide by international law and that it is drilling inside its continental shelf.

Cyprus said only a resumption of talks aimed at reaching a peace settlement between the Turkish-held north and the internationally-recognised government in Nicosia could resolve the dispute.

The island has been divided between the Republic of Cyprus and the northern third under Turkish military control since 1974, formed after a Turkish invasion in response to a coup sponsored by a Greek military junta.

Cyprus has issued arrest warrants for Fatih's crew members, accusing the ship of breaching the republic's sovereign territory.

Turkey opposes unilateral exploration activities by Cyprus and says Turkish Cypriots have rights to a share of the island's offshore resources. —AFP