The decision to send the research ship back follows the departure of an Italian-South Korean consortium that had been carrying out exploratory drilling off Cyprus on the authorization of the Cypriot government. Cyprus is a European Union member, but only the Greek Cypriot southern part enjoys full membership benefits. Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades suspended peace talks last October after Turkey announced its own quest for gas in waters where the Cypriot government licensed companies to drill.