Agencies - Abu Dhabi
A second Turkish drilling vessel arrived in a Mediterranean region off the northeast coast of Cyprus on Monday, data showed.
The ship is expected to start drilling for oil and natural gas exploration this week.
EU leaders had called on Turkey last month to halt gas exploration in the disputed waters around the island so that the bloc would not take action against it after pressure from Greece and Cyprus to intervene.
The Turkish Anatolia news agency quoted Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Dunmes as saying on Saturday that the second Turkish drilling vessel "Yawoz" will begin drilling for oil and natural gas in the eastern Mediterranean within a week, in a move that could lead to further tension in relations with Cyprus on the rights Exploration.
The Yawoz was anchored in Turkey's southern port of Mersin for final checks and loading before it headed for Cyprus on Sunday. Cargo data showed that they arrived off the coast of the Karpas peninsula overnight.
There is already a Turkish drilling vessel called "Fateh" off the coast of western Cyprus, which issued arrest warrants against the ship's crew in June.
Ankara, which has no diplomatic relations with Cyprus, says certain parts of the maritime zone off Cyprus, known as the "exclusive economic zone", fall under the sovereignty or sovereignty of the Turkish Cypriots ruling a separatist state in the north of the island that is recognized only by Turkey.
The island of Cyprus has been divided since 1974 following a Turkish invasion sparked by a brief military coup initiated by Greece. Many attempts to bring peace have already failed, while naval wealth has complicated peace negotiations.