Cyprus-Forum.com

[zan]

Köylü Tayip Erdçoglan has gone to Brussels and started letting his tong go loose, around various EU offices. Among the things he said in a European Policy Center event, were some threats he heralded towards the EU, claiming that “if the energy chapter of Turkey’s EU accession process does not open due to the known Cypriot objections, his country will not hesitate to back down from the construction of the “Nabuco” pipe line.” He further said that “he does not understand why the EU chooses to side with a country of 700 thousand people, instead of a country of 70 million.” Wow!!!

Piss off, Mr. Erdçoglan, piss off!!! If the EU does not tell you in no uncertain terms that your country should back down from her unreasonable claims on Cyprus’ continental shelf rights, and if you do not promise that will never send again your warships to harass RoC funded explorations and future drillings into Cyprus’s economic zone, not only the Energy chapter is not going to open, but your entire accession will be put on a permanent hold. Furthermore, if your country does not learn how to win an argument through legal and other lawful means, such as international courts, etc, and instead it will continue to think that it is only enough to throw its military might across, then you actually do not have a place in the EU, nor in any other international organization.

I see the negotiations have begun!!!

[Get Real!]

Get Real,

I love it when you GCs can't handle the truth, can't handle the fact that Turkey's importance in that entire area, in collaboration with the EU, will ultimately put the Greek Cypriot Nationalistic stance behind their iron-curtain!

Money Talks!

The Greek Cypriot racist attitude, isolation of the Turkish Cypriots since the 2004 Annan Plan referendum is nearing a close!

We have had enough of your Greek Cypriot isolation of our right to trade freely, recognition of our Turkish Cypriot Republic and of the relentless lies and failed promises.

It's about time the Greek Cypriots let it go - Just, let it go!

Turkey has many more projects in line with the EU - just watch this space from now until Dec 2009!

It’s stupid to expect the indigenous people of an island to just “let it go” when uninvited settlers do not! Contemplate that…

[Nikitas]

Look at the map indeed. Algeria is MUCH closer than central Asia, and much more stable too. Do not count your chickens before they hatch.

[utu]

Russia's little spat with Ukraine over Natural Gas is highlighting the importance of two things: first, the need for Europe to get their gas from other sources, or routes not under Russian control. Secondly, that Natural Gas control can be a powerful political weapon. Therefore, the question needs to be asked: is having a natural gas supply through Turkey going to be a good thing, or bad...?

[Tim Drayton]

Russia's little spat with Ukraine over Natural Gas is highlighting the importance of two things: first, the need for Europe to get their gas from other sources, or routes not under Russian control. Secondly, that Natural Gas control can be a powerful political weapon. Therefore, the question needs to be asked: is having a natural gas supply through Turkey going to be a good thing, or bad...?

The point made in the following report entitled "Turkey’s Role in European Energy Security"

http://www.cer.org.uk/pdf/essay_turkey_ ... 2dec07.pdf

is that it is Europe's best interests to have two competing supply routes for Central Asian gas so that she may play Russia and Turkey off against one another.

[Nikitas]

Tim,

One would have thought that the real alternative source would be anywhere other than central Asia. The assumptin that the central Asian nations will remain stable for long is a dangerous one. There are nations which have much more reliable and traditional ties with Europe, like Libya, Algeria, Egypt. The added cost of transporting liquid gas from there in ships is more than offset by security of supply. Greece had no problems with gas this winter because it gets its gas mostly from north Africa. Neighboring Bulgaria that gets gas from Russia and Turkey froze.

Erdogan's speech, starting with an emphasis on gas as a political weapon is hardly good news or an indication of trouble free supplies in the future.

[Tim Drayton]

Tim,

One would have thought that the real alternative source would be anywhere other than central Asia. The assumptin that the central Asian nations will remain stable for long is a dangerous one. There are nations which have much more reliable and traditional ties with Europe, like Libya, Algeria, Egypt. The added cost of transporting liquid gas from there in ships is more than offset by security of supply. Greece had no problems with gas this winter because it gets its gas mostly from north Africa. Neighboring Bulgaria that gets gas from Russia and Turkey froze.

Erdogan's speech, starting with an emphasis on gas as a political weapon is hardly good news or an indication of trouble free supplies in the future.

I don't know about that, but a great deal of what I see going on in the world nowadays appears essentially to be a scramble for energy security, and strong forces seem to be pushing Europe in the direction of Central Asia. By the way, I have lived in Libya and I am surpised that you can consider a country under the autocratic rule of a lunatic to be stable. Isn't one factor that there are believed to be massive as yet unproven resources in Central Asia?