Nicosia: Turkey's "provocative actions" against Cyprus and other current regional and international issues will be discussed during External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar's visit to Nicosia this month, Cyprus Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

Jaishankar is paying an official visit to the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) and Austria from December 29 to January 3. The External Affairs Minister will be in Cyprus this week to mark 60 years of diplomatic relations between India and Cyprus.

"The focus of the discussions between the two ministers will be, inter alia the bilateral relations and the prospect of further deepening the cooperation between Cyprus and India in a wide range of sectors, the economic cooperation of the two countries, EU-India relations, the prospect of India's participation in a regional mechanism with countries of the region, Turkey's provocative actions against Cyprus, as well as current regional and international issues of mutual interest," the Cyprus Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The current issue between Nicosia and Ankara is an ongoing dispute between Greek Cypriots in the south and Turkish Cypriots in the north. According to Voice of America (VOA), tensions between Greece and Turkey over the divided island of Cyprus appear to be escalating.

During his visit, EAM will meet with his Cypriot counterpart, Ioannis Kasoulides and call on Annita Demetriou, President of the House of Representatives. Jaishankar will address the business and investment community of RoC, apart from an interaction with the Indian Diaspora.

In a press statement, Cyprus Foreign Ministry said Jaishankar will have a tete-a-tete meeting with Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides, followed by extended consultations in the form of a working lunch with the participation of official delegations from the two Ministries of Foreign Affairs.

The Cyprus Foreign Ministry said the two ministers will sign a Memorandum of Understanding on defence and military cooperation, as well as the document for the inclusion of Cyprus in the Global Solar Energy Alliance. "The Minister of Interior, Mr. Nikos Nouris will also sign with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of India a Declaration of Intent to start negotiations with the aim of reaching an Agreement regarding immigration and mobility," the ministry added.

On December 30, the two Ministers will address the Cyprus-India business forum that will take place in Limassol in the presence of representatives of the Cyprus and India business sectors.

During his presence in Cyprus, Jaishankar will be received by the President of the House of Representatives, Annita Demetriou.