Cyprus-Forum.com

[Viewpoint]

Obviously you have not understood, do the GCs physically have gas?

[CBBB]

US rebuffs Turkey’s call on S Cyprus

Tuesday, August 16, 2011
ANKARA – Hürriyet Daily News

The United States will not force a U.S. firm to stop its plans to explore for natural gas off of Greek Cyprus’ southeastern coast in October despite recent pressure by Ankara to do so.

“I am not about to give advice to American companies,” U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Frank Ricciardone said in response to a question about whether Washington would urge Noble Energy to stop natural gas exploration in the eastern Mediterranean.

Ricciardone only said that Washington would continue supporting Cyprus reunification talks.

The top U.S. envoy made the comments at a press conference with Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yıldız.

“We are aware of Turkey’s stance on this. Regarding the solution in Cyprus, as always, we continue to support the efforts from both parties,” said Ricciardone.

Yıldız told journalists that the situation was not right, and that they did not want any added tension in the region.

Replying to a question on nuclear energy plant projects in Turkey, Ricciardone said they were motivating U.S. companies to invest in Turkey.

Ricciardone also paid a courtesy visit to Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ on Tuesday.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php? ... 2011-08-16

[humanist]

Good response by the US ambasador. US will not instruct a US company how to do business in Cyprus.

[ZoC]

Yıldız told journalists that the situation was not right,

good point. so f*ck off out of cyprus.

[Hermes]

“I am not about to give advice to American companies,” U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Frank Ricciardone said in response to a question about whether Washington would urge Noble Energy to stop natural gas exploration in the eastern Mediterranean.

Here is a translation for the illiterate...

"Butt out, Turkboy. Don't tell us to tell our own fucking companies how to do business. Now shut the fuck up, you lousy bunch of whiny losers."

[Hermes]

When even the Cyprus Mail slams Turkey's tantrum over gas exploration, you know the Turks have lost the argument ...

Our View: Turkey’s arguments against oil and gas drilling are both childish and unconvincing

Setting aside the complexities of exclusive economic zones and the complicated deals Cyprus has signed with neighbouring countries for the exploration, there are some basic fundamental points Turkey seems to be overlooking.

Cyprus’ sovereignty is internationally recognised. Cyprus has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Therefore it is not acting against international law. And as for acting unilaterally, the Turkish invasion was unilateral. The declaration of independence of the ‘TRNC’ was unilateral. The development of Greek Cypriot properties was unilateral and the seeking of international recognition by the north was unilateral, so too was Turkey’s ban on Greek Cypriot air and sea traffic.

And in all likelihood, if there were oil and gas reserves off Kyrenia, the chances are that Ankara or the Turkish Cypriots would not be concerned at all that Greek Cypriots were losing out but would no doubt unilaterally go ahead and drill, irrespective of the effects on the talks.

That is not to say Turkish Cypriots should not have a share of the oil and gas if reserves are found, but the development should be a catalyst to speed up the talks, not the hindrance it is turning out to be.

Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, in a speech on Sunday spoke again about “two peoples and two states” in Cyprus. If there was no oil and gas, and the world recognised the ‘TRNC’ tomorrow, Eroglu would run off with his statehood without a second thought for Greek Cypriots or the talks.

Ultimately, Turkey’s and the Turkish Cypriot leadership’s ‘spoiled brat’ attitude of ‘what’s yours is mine but what’s mine is my own” is simply not a convincing enough argument in a schoolyard – let alone under international law - to stop the start of drilling next month.

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/turkey/our-v ... convincing

[Nikitas]

As per VP above there is plenty of oil and gas in Turkey. Good! They can go drill for their own resources and leave us alone then!

Any time now expect Turkey to come out with its old argument that islands are not entitled to continental shelf or EEZ. Which of course will cause great laughter in island nations, you know little guys in the world stage like Japan, the UK, the US state of Hawai, and a host of other island nations in the Caribbean and the Pacific.

When that argument fails it will bring up the other yo-yo, the closed sea theory which it raises when it wants to demonsrate why the Law of the Sea should no apply to the Med. Of course the Black Sea is a hell of a lot more closed than the Med, and there Turkey has followed the Law of the Sea and applied 12 mile territorial waters, EEZ delineation and continental shelf delimitation according the same Law. But up there the other players are bigger and do not take kindrly to neo ottoman bullshit.

[Kikapu]

As per VP above there is plenty of oil and gas in Turkey. Good! They can go drill for their own resources and leave us alone then!

Any time now expect Turkey to come out with its old argument that islands are not entitled to continental shelf or EEZ. Which of course will cause great laughter in island nations, you know little guys in the world stage like Japan, the UK, the US state of Hawai, and a host of other island nations in the Caribbean and the Pacific.

When that argument fails it will bring up the other yo-yo, the closed sea theory which it raises when it wants to demonsrate why the Law of the Sea should no apply to the Med. Of course the Black Sea is a hell of a lot more closed than the Med, and there Turkey has followed the Law of the Sea and applied 12 mile territorial waters, EEZ delineation and continental shelf delimitation according the same Law. But up there the other players are bigger and do not take kindrly to neo ottoman bullshit.

But Nikitas, I was reading earlier that Turkey plans to do Oil and Gas Exploration off the coast of Kyrenia, so how is that possible for Turkey in wanting to do that and not the RoC.?

I thought islands did not have their own EEZ or that it is not possible to do any exploration without the consent of all citizens of the island.

Since Turkey did not sign the EEZ demarcation boundaries with Cyprus, how can they believe it is OK for them to explore off the coast of Kyrenia.

Unless Turkey can drill for Oil and Gas themselves off the coast of Kyrenia, I do not believe any other company from the US or Europe will be allowed to drill for Turkey without the RoC's approval, or else the company intending to drill against the RoC's wishes, will find themselves in the EU or US courts for trespassing on RoC's sovereignty and mineral rights..

[Kikapu]

Nikitas,

I have been meaning to ask you this question for a long time, but didn't have the right opportunity, so here goes.

Now, you know a thing or two about ships, and if there are some unused commercial ships in Greece at the moment just sitting around collected dust, can they not be sent to Cyprus to anchor off the coast and run their massive generators to produce electricity to be linked to the electric grid system until a new power station is built.??

[CBBB]

Turkish Cypriots may counter Greek natural gas attempts
Within the boundaries of reciprocity, the Turkish Cypriots will take steps that are similar to those of the Greek Cypriots, Ozersay said.


The Special Envoy of the President of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Kudret Ozersay, said Wednesday that unless the Greek Cypriots suspended efforts to extract natural gas in southern Cyprus, the Turkish Cypriots would make agreements whereby it would extract oil and natural gas off its shores in northern Cyprus.

In a statement made to a Turkish Cypriot news agency on Wednesday, Ozersay said that if the Greek Cypriots started activities to extract natural gas and oil, the Turkish Cypriots will do what they have to do.

Within the boundaries of reciprocity, the Turkish Cypriots will take steps that are similar to those of the Greek Cypriots, Ozersay said.

http://www.worldbulletin.net/?aType=hab ... leID=77646