NICOSIA — Cyprus‘ president says reunification talks can restart, if Turkey respects the ethnically divided island’s sovereign right to exploit its offshore gas reserves.

Nicos Anastasiades said Wednesday that Turkey must stop trying to impose its will on its tiny neighbor.

Cyprus was split along ethnic lines in 1974 when Turkey invaded after a coup by supporters of a union with Greece. Turkey doesn’t recognize Cyprus as a state and opposes an offshore energy search by the internationally recognized Greek Cypriotgovernment, saying that it ignores the rights of breakaway Turkish Cypriots.

Anastasiades suspended reunification talks in October after Turkey announced plans to search for gas in waters where the Cypriot government has licensed other companies to drill.

The Cypriot government says all will share in any gas wealth after reunification.