Cyprus-Forum.com

[CBBB]

Turkish PM threatens new EU gas pipeline
19 January 2009, 13:47 CET
(BRUSSELS) - Turkey threatened Monday to review its position on a strategic new gas pipeline for Europe that would bypass Russia if its EU accession talks were blocked.

The warning by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan comes amid Europe's worst gas crisis caused by a dispute between Russia and Ukraine that has led to gas shortages across the continent.

The crisis has sharpened attention on the need to reduce Europe's dependence on Russian gas, with the proposed Nabucco pipeline that would carry supplies from the Caspian Sea or Middle East via Turkey to Austria seen as critical.

"If we're faced with a situation where the energy chapter is blocked then we would review our position" on Nabucco, Erdogan said during a conference in Brussels.

Turkey's bid to join the European Union requires 35 chapters covering key areas of goverance to be opened and agreed, with energy currently closed because of objections by Cyprus, which joined the EU in 2004.

"The other side ought to be fair in his treatment," said Erdogan. "They should not prefer southern Cyprus, located far away from Europe and a only a few hundred thousand people, compared with Turkey with 70 million people."

He added: "We have to talk about the facts openly. Southern Cyprus is putting pressure so that some chapters are not opened, like energy."

Turkey refuses to endorse the internationally-recognised Greek Cypriot government and instead recognises the breakaway Turkish Cypriot statelet in the north of the island.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey seized its northern third in response to an Athens-engineered Greek Cypriot coup aimed at uniting the Mediterranean island with Greece.

Erdogan said he hoped to see "a leap" in Turkey's efforts to join the European Union in 2009.

Some EU nations firmly oppose the idea of Turkey, a mainly Muslim country of 70 million, joining the bloc amid misgivings among voters. France favours a special relationship that stops short of full membership for Turkey.

Erdogan criticised negative comments about his country in the EU that meant public support for joining the EU was waning.

"Our people are reacting to some negative declarations from the EU side which question Turkey's accession to the EU. But we're very decisive, it's a top priority issue," Erdogan said.

"We don't ask for special treatment, but a fair and equal treatment. We are not here to be a burden for the EU we want to share the burden," he added.

Nabucco is a proposed 3,400-kilometre (2,112-mile) pipeline between Turkey and Austria that would transport up to 31 billion cubic metres of gas each year.

The pipeline currently has six shareholders -- OMV of Austria, MOL of Hungary, Transgaz of Romania, Bulgargaz of Bulgaria, Botas of Turkey and RWE of Germany -- but progress has so been slow-moving because of the number of approvals and agreements needed between the countries concerned.

Ministers from the six countries are set to meet in Budapest on January 26-27 and the head of the project, Reinhard Mitschek, hopes for a final green light this year.

Russia and Italy have put forward a rival pipeline project of their own, called South Stream.

One of the main hurdles to Nabucco has been financing.

The consortium recently raised the estimated cost to about eight billion euros (10.7 billion dollars) compared with the initial projection of 4.4 billion euros.

For Nabucco to be profitable, Europe would have to find 30 billion cubic metres of gas each year from countries such as Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Iraq, experts say.

Text and Picture Copyright 2009 AFP. All other Copyright 2009 EUbusiness Ltd. All rights reserved. This material is intended solely for personal use. Any other reproduction, publication or redistribution of this material without the written agreement of the copyright owner is strictly forbidden and any breach of copyright will be considered actionable.

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1232369223.35

Nobody wants them anyway!

[Paphitis]

First sign of desperation....

[CBBB]

Bloody hell!!! This has been here for 10 minutes and no bullshit from doesntknowwhohisfatheris!!

[Paphitis]

Bloody hell!!! This has been here for 10 minutes and no bullshit from doesntknowwhohisfatheris!!

Don't push it.

I think he's gone to eat his Fasoulia and take his laxatives and then he will be back with a vengeance.

[Oracle]

Turkish PM threatens new EU gas pipeline ...

The warning by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan comes amid Europe's ....

Blatant blackmail by Turkey. Is this really the way to ingratiate yourself when asking for a favour

"The other side ought to be fair in his treatment," said Erdogan. "They should not prefer southern Cyprus, located far away from Europe and a only a few hundred thousand people, compared with Turkey with 70 million people."

Do I hear a Turk using the word "fair"?

Backstabbing tactics like complaining about something that can't be helped (distance), whilst all the while ignoring the wide chasm between their medieval mentality and the rest of Europe, won't fool anyone ... Besides the world is getting smaller (spatially) as far as ease of travel.

This article suggests Erdogan has given up the Sisyphean task of trying to improve his country; resorting to savage demands instead ...

[zan]

The EU has really kept its promise to us to expect loyalty..

[Sotos]

I think it is time for Europe to turn "Istanbul" back to Constantinople and solve the Turkish problem once and for all. They felt pity of the Turks and let them to keep a part of what they stole from Greeks kurks and others but I don't think the greedy Turks appreciate this. These greedy 3rd world Mongloids now think they have some power and that they can blackmail Europe. Time for Europe to remind them who is the boss.

[MrH]

Turkey trying to blackmail EU

The difference here is that, while Turkey tries to blackmail the EU, the Greek Cypriots already do it.

I guess we have to learn from a bigger liar and cheat like the GCs! Why not jump on the band wagon - eh!

[insan]

Turkish PM threatens new EU gas pipeline ...

The warning by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan comes amid Europe's ....

Blatant blackmail by Turkey. Is this really the way to ingratiate yourself when asking for a favour

"The other side ought to be fair in his treatment," said Erdogan. "They should not prefer southern Cyprus, located far away from Europe and a only a few hundred thousand people, compared with Turkey with 70 million people."

Do I hear a Turk using the word "fair"?

Backstabbing tactics like complaining about something that can't be helped (distance), whilst all the while ignoring the wide chasm between their medieval mentality and the rest of Europe, won't fool anyone ... Besides the world is getting smaller (spatially) as far as ease of travel.

This article suggests Erdogan has given up the Sisyphean task of trying to improve his country; resorting to savage demands instead ...

Many Greeks, and several EU governments, want the internationally recognised Greek-controlled bit of the island brought into the Union, whatever the Turks and others may think. Otherwise, says the government in Athens, it will block the entry into the EU club of ten other countries, an incomparably more important event. If Greece has its way, Turkey, a valued but prickly NATO country, says it may annex Turkish Cyprus outright, imperilling the entire region.

http://news.pseka.net/index.php?module=article&id=28


Dear, when Hellenes blackmail EU it's ok but when Turks blackmail, it hurts? Sorry dear but ur mentality is too selfish. Allthough i hate this kind of diplomatic relations that is based on blackmailing but on this mad world that's how the world goes around...

[Nikitas]

I thought the new plan was to lay an undersea pipe from Algeria to Italy and Greece. It is much shorter and will be much cheaper than the 2300 mile pipeline through Turkey.

There are imports of liquefied natural gas from Algeria and Libya going on right now on Greek ships and Greek shipowners are not blackmailing anyone. They are too busy getting rich.