Cyprus-Forum.com

[shahmaran]

People travel half way across the globe and murder 1 million people in order to dig for oil.

You guys are still rambling on about international treaties?!

[Oracle]

People travel half way across the globe and murder 1 million people in order to dig for oil.

You guys are still rambling on about international treaties?!

Yeah, but that's Muslims they'd kill for Oil ... not Christians!

[Get Real!]

People travel half way across the globe and murder 1 million people in order to dig for oil.

You guys are still rambling on about international treaties?!

Then I guess there’s no point in asking if anything national counts like London/Zurich…

[shahmaran]

People travel half way across the globe and murder 1 million people in order to dig for oil.

You guys are still rambling on about international treaties?!

Yeah, but that's Muslims they'd kill for Oil ... not Christians!

What does that mean?

[shahmaran]

People travel half way across the globe and murder 1 million people in order to dig for oil.

You guys are still rambling on about international treaties?!

Then I guess there’s no point in asking if anything national counts like London/Zurich…

Funny you mention Zurich

[bill cobbett]

Their announcement shows that they will try exploration antics inside Greek continental shelf limits, south and east of Kastellorizo.

There is a book, title "How to make friends and influence people" which Turkish politicians need to read.

I feel we often forget Kasterorizon has a tremondous effect in limiting the RoT's EEZ.

Had the pleasure of spending a few days there a while back. Very pretty and remarkably large harbour and spent hours and hours wandering steep narrow alleys between near identical houses, so many built in to more or or less the same style. Very quiet and atmospheric place, near Fantasy Island place.

Locals, who call themselves Cassies, number a couple of hundred with thousands more in OZ and US, were remarkably welcoming and near CY in their dialect.

(If anyone goes there can they pass on good wishes to George the taxi-driver (the only one), tell him he has regards from the CY he drove to the rubbish dump (skoubithia) few years ago.)

[Lit]

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_ar ... 009_109047

Ankara oil bid stirs fears
Plans for Turkish vessel to explore off Cyprus upsets Athens, Nicosia at crucial time

A decision by Ankara to authorize its Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) to prospect for oil beyond Turkish territorial waters off the coast of Cyprus yesterday fueled diplomatic angst in Athens and Nicosia.

The news that Ankara had given TPAO the go-ahead to explore for oil close to Cyprus, published in Turkey’s government gazette on Thursday, caused consternation among Cypriots who are in the middle of a peace drive on the divided island but also among Greek diplomats who have been trying to remain cool-headed in the face of a recent spike in violations of Greek air space by Turkish jets.

According to the Turkish government decree, a Turkish vessel is set to embark on hydrocarbon exploration in four areas, including a bloc in the eastern Mediterranean, northeast of Cyprus. The decision is believed to be, in part at least, a reaction to Nicosia’s plans, confirmed earlier this year, to prospect for oil off the island’s coast.

In Athens government officials had not issued an official reaction to the news by late yesterday but the mood was believed to be tense in the Foreign and Defense ministries particularly in view of a fresh series of Greek air space violations by Turkish jets. Shortly before noon a formation of eight Turkish F16s violated Greek air space in the Aegean. At 12.30 p.m. four more jets flew over Agathonisi at an altitude of less than 300 meters.

The transgressions caused more concern than usual as they coincided with the news of Turkey’s imminent oil exploration off Cyprus and with provocative comments by Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, published in the Turkish-Cypriot newspaper Kibris. Talat, who continued face-to-face talks with Cyprus President Dimitris Christofias in Nicosia, ruffled feathers by claiming that “there was a great possibility of bloodshed” if Turkish armed forces are forced to withdraw from the occupied north of the island before a settlement is reached.

[Nikitas]

Turkey's strategic plans, as evidenced by the exercise scenarios of the past 15 years, are to project power in the Med, between Greece and Cyprus.

Politically, to accomplish this and have it approved by superpowers and those that count, it has to accept the Law of the Sea, but that is a double edged sword, because it gives Greece 12 miles territorial sea and that makes the Aegean a Greek lake. So the next alternative is bombast and threats.

Having lived in Greece for 35 years and having seen the daily routine of air and sea space violations the threatening pose does not impress. It is is easy to guide a jet for a few seconds over someone else's land. If push comes to shove the cost for the attacker who wants to establish PERMANENT presence on EU territory will be huge in every way. The Turks know this so they resort to this cheap psywar crap of announcing days ahead their intention etc hoping to induce fear and panic. Of what? An air force that sinks its own ships and a navy that gets its leading ship, the Yavuz, stuck in the sands of Kos inside Gree waters!

It is a huge miscalculation by the Turks to drum up this issue at this time. It will blow up in their face.

[Lit]

SPOKESMAN - TURKEY - EXPLORATIONS FOR OIL
The Republic of Cyprus continues to defend its sovereign rights through the procedures provided by the International law and its participation in the international organizations, Government Spokesman Stephanos Stephanou has said.

Stephanou was commenting on the decision of Turkey to start explorations for hydrocarbon reserves outside the Exclusive Economic Zone of the country and very close to Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone .

I must say that the Republic of Cyprus, as we have previously responded when Turkey in a provocative way harassed vessels exploring for oil on behalf of the Republic, we defend our sovereign rights always on the basis of the International Law, he added.

He noted that there is Law for these matters, is the Law of the Sea of 1982 of the UN Convention which is part of the International Law.

Stephanou went on to say that this Law indicates how any disputes can be solved wherever they exist.

We have urged Turkey to open a dialogue with us. We are ready to open a dialogue on what Turley considers to be a disputed area in the Exclusive Economic Zone, he said, noting that Turkey did not sign the Law of the Sea and of course does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus.

[Viewpoint]

SPOKESMAN - TURKEY - EXPLORATIONS FOR OIL
The Republic of Cyprus continues to defend its sovereign rights through the procedures provided by the International law and its participation in the international organizations, Government Spokesman Stephanos Stephanou has said.

Stephanou was commenting on the decision of Turkey to start explorations for hydrocarbon reserves outside the Exclusive Economic Zone of the country and very close to Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone .

I must say that the Republic of Cyprus, as we have previously responded when Turkey in a provocative way harassed vessels exploring for oil on behalf of the Republic, we defend our sovereign rights always on the basis of the International Law, he added.

He noted that there is Law for these matters, is the Law of the Sea of 1982 of the UN Convention which is part of the International Law.

Stephanou went on to say that this Law indicates how any disputes can be solved wherever they exist.

We have urged Turkey to open a dialogue with us. We are ready to open a dialogue on what Turley considers to be a disputed area in the Exclusive Economic Zone, he said, noting that Turkey did not sign the Law of the Sea and of course does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus.

You still dont get it Turkey dont recognize you in your current form, they reconize us.