Tensions are mounting between the Cyprus and Turkey over the island nation's plans to begin oil and gas exploration in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Drilling is scheduled to start in just six weeks.
由于塞浦路斯计划在地中海东部勘探石油和天然气，该岛国与土耳其的紧张关系加剧。勘探定于6个星期后开始。
At the heart of the dispute is how any revenues from the oil and natural gas exploration will be shared between Greek Cypriots, who control the internationally recognized government, and Turkish Cypriots in the north.
这一争端的核心问题是，塞浦路斯希腊族和塞浦路斯土耳其族如何分配石油天然气勘探取得的收入。塞浦路斯希腊族掌控着国际社会承认的政府，土耳其族控制着该国北部。
Turkey, which backs the Turkish Cypriots, says it objects to the drilling and says it will take action if the exploration goes ahead before a solution to the 37-year-old division of Cyprus is found.
土耳其支持塞浦路斯土耳其族。土耳其说，它反对油气勘探，并表示，如果在为塞浦路斯历时37年的分裂找到解决方案之前进行油气勘探，它将采取行动。
Ankara claims that only a peace settlement between the two communities would ensure the Turkish Cypriot community’s share of any natural resources discovered.
安卡拉声称，只有塞浦路斯的希、土两族达成和平解决的协议，才能确保塞浦路斯土耳其族获得任何所发现的自然资源份额。
The Cyprus government signed a production-sharing contract with U.S.-based Noble Energy to launch exploration activities in an 324,000-hectare economic zone southeast of the island which borders Israeli waters and where massive gas fields were found under the seabed.
塞浦路斯政府与美国的诺伯尔能源公司(Noble Energy)签署了一项产量分享合同，以在塞浦路斯东南部的一个32万4000公顷的经济区进行勘探活动。这一地区比邻以色列水域，在该地区的海床下发现了大规模的天然气田。
Solon Kassinis, director of the Cyprus Energy Services, says all steps have been taken in accordance to international law.
塞浦路斯商业、工业和旅游部能源服务主管索隆·卡辛尼斯说，已经根据国际法采取了所有步骤。
"We are proceeding according to our sort of agreement with Nobel and the rig is going to start working about the first of October," said Kassinis. "They are going to start drilling to see what is happening underneath and see what exists down there."
索隆说：“我们是根据与诺伯尔能源公司的协议来推进，将于10月1号开始钻井工作。他们将开始钻探，看看那下面的情况如何，看看下面有什么。”
Solon Kassinis also rejected claims that the Greek side would monopolize any revenue from what is discovered under the seabed.
索隆还否认希腊族会垄断海床下勘探收入的说法。
"We are evaluating the situation of what will happen in case we find oil and I assure you that this is to be taken into serious consideration - and we are not only going to consider the present generations of legal citizens of Cyprus - all Greeks, Turks and many other nationalities who live here legally, but of course this is to consider the future generations as well," said Kassinis.
他说：“我们正在对如果我们发现石油后的事态发展进行评估，我保证我们会认真地考虑，我们不只会考虑塞浦路斯现在的所有希腊族、土耳其族和其它许多族裔，当然还会考虑未来的子孙后代。”
The island of Cyprus was split in a 1974 Turkish invasion triggered by a Greek-inspired coup. Turkish Cypriots live in its north and Greek Cypriots in the south.
1974年，希腊的军政府在塞浦路斯发动政变，随后土耳其占领了塞岛北部，希腊族控制了南部，塞浦路斯随即陷入分裂状态。
Some analysts say the oil and gas exploration will add extra pressure to the ongoing attempt to re-unite the island which has been at a virtual standstill for three years.
一些分析人士说，石油和天然气开发将给塞浦路斯的重新统一增添压力，塞岛的统一进程实际上已停顿了三年。
（责任编辑:实习飞刀）
