Athens/Nicosia - Cyprus on Tuesday said it will push ahead with oil and gas exploration in the eastern Mediterranean despite the harassment by Turkish warships which threaten to disturb ongoing reunification talks.

"We will defend the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus and we have reported the provocative actions of Ankara to the United Nations and the European Union," said Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias.

Nicosia on Monday said it has launched a complaint with the United Nations after claims that a Turkish warship harassed vessels exploring for oil and gas earlier this month.

Athens- Cyprus on Monday said it has launched a complaint with the United Nations, after claims that a Turkish warship harassed vessels exploring for oil and gas earlier this month, the Athens News Agency reported.

Cypriot Foreign Minister Marcos Kyprianou said a Norwegian-flagged vessel that was carrying out oil and gas surveys in the eastern Aegean on behalf of the Greek Cypriot government was harassed by Turkish warships. The incident occurred south of Paphos on November 13.

Nicosia  - The political leadership of the Greek and Turkish Cypriots on Monday held talks in a "good climate" on Monday, said UN special envoy Alexander Downer.

Downer added that the two will again meet for talks on reunifying the divided Mediterranean island on November 25.

Greek Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias spoke with his Turkish Cypriot counterpart Mehmet Ali Talat on topics related to the justice system and supreme court on Monday, Downer said on Cypriot broadcaster RIK.

Athens/Nicosia - Efforts to reunify the divided Mediterranean island of Cyprus are expected to continue by leaders from both communities well into 2009, a UN envoy said Thursday.

Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders launched a new round of peace talks in September and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat had said he hoped a breakthrough could be found by the end of the year.

Peace talks were deadlocked after former president Tassos Papadopoulos led the Greek-Cypriot rejection of a UN reunification plan in a 2004 referendum. Turkish Cypriots had overwhelmingly voted in favour.

Nicosia (Cyprus), Nov 13: The Antiquities Department of Cyprus has uncovered sixteen important medieval graves during excavations at the 12th century Georgian monastery near Gialia village in the Paphos district.

According to a report in Cyprus Mail, the graves, dating from between the 14th and 16th centuries, were found on all four sides of the monastery.

The graves contained clay ware and glass vessels with Greek and Georgian inscriptions on some of the items, according to the Antiquities Department.

Hamburg - Champions League hopefuls Chelsea suffered an unexpected defeat Tuesday on a night of surprises in the lucrative Champions League.

Also on the night Inter Milan and Liverpool had to come from behind to snatch late draws in their group matches, while Barcelona and Sporting Lisbon became the first clubs to go through after making sure of finishing in the top two positions in Group C.

Last year's finalists Chelsea lost their Group A game in Italy against AS Roma 3-1 and had Portuguese international Deco sent off, while Liverpool needed a last-minute penalty in their Group D game against Atletico Madrid for a 1-1 draw at home.