Cyprus-Forum.com

[Lit]

An attack on the rig drilling for gas off shore from Cyprus for an Israeli-American consortium would be considered an attack on the United States, says Richard Stone, chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/ ... oCPNdT4Kug

ATHENS, Sept 26 | Mon Sep 26, 2011 7:10am EDT

(Reuters) - Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou called for calm over Cyprus in a phone conversation with Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan on Monday, a Greek government spokesman said, as regional tensions rise over oil exploration.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/ ... 1K20110926

[Lit]

September 27, 2011 2:15 am
Cyprus drilling is not provocation

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/16b9863e ... z1Z8B0BYYQ

[Lit]

The Noble Corporation Homer Ferrington rig recently drilled two development wells at Noa. The drilling activities were completed two weeks ahead of schedule and significantly below budget. The Noa completion operations are planned to commence in the first half of 2012. The Company has subsequently moved the Homer Ferrington to Block 12 offshore Cyprus, where it is drilling the Cyprus A prospect. Once finished with Cyprus A, the rig will relocate back to Israel.

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/09/27/394311 ... z1ZFq9jjh6

[Lit]

Search for gas off Cyprus nears completion
Sun, Nov 06, 2011

DRILLING for gas off the coast of Cyprus has reached a depth of 3.5 kilometres, with engineers now preparing to take new measurements using sonar and radio waves.

According to the tightly set schedules, the well and other work at the drilling site will be concluded in the next eleven days.

Separately, a Turkish minister has said that Ankara will not allow for any independent natural gas exploration projects in the east Mediterranean.

Turkey's Minister of Transport, Maritime and Communications Binali Yildirim told the Turkish Daily Hurriyet yesterday.

Yildirim's statement followed a comment made by President Shimon Peres, who – while on a State visit to Cyprus – lauded Israel's joint gas exploration projects with Cyprus.

Meanwhile, local press reports that the cabinet has decided to begin disciplinary procedures against the head of the Energy Services Solon Kassinis, for allegations of “leaking confidential documents and other misconduct”.

According to Politis newspaper, the cabinet has appointed the head of the Forestry Department to conduct a probe into the affair. According to the newspaper, Kassinis could end up facing charges of criminal offences.

Speaking on state radio, Kassinis said he had not been informed of the cabinet decision and denied any wrong doing.

Last week Kassinis was stripped of his authority to handle aspects of gas exploration and exploitation.
— Copyright © Famagusta Gazette 2011

http://famagusta-gazette.com/search-for ... 434-69.htm

[supporttheunderdog]

Binali Yildirim can go s*ck himself.

[kimon07]

The Big Boys (USA, the EU and Russia) having seen that the sea bed of Cyprus is rich with gas and oil will not feell very happy to share it with Turkey. And they know that any new Annan Plan will mean sharing with Turkey. So, I believe they would be quite willing to help Cyprus get loose from the grip of Turkey soon. It is up to us to play this invaluable card smartly.

[kimon07]

The Big Boys (USA, the EU and Russia) having seen that the sea bed of Cyprus is rich with gas and oil will not feell very happy to share it with Turkey. And they know that any new Annan Plan will mean sharing with Turkey. So, I believe they would be quite willing to help Cyprus get loose from the grip of Turkey soon. It is up to us to play this invaluable card smartly.

And the more Turkey threatens anyone who strikes deals with Cyprus and the more declarations it makes about the whole of the East Med being its own “chorafi”, the better for us.

[Lit]

INTERIOR MINISTER – HYDROCARBONS – 2ND LICENSING ROUND

http://www.cna.org.cy/website/english/a ... 2.asp?id=1

Within the next few weeks, the government of the Republic of Cyprus will announce the second licensing round for hydrocarbon exploration offshore Cyprus, Interior Minister Neoclis Sylikiotis announced on Monday.

He was speaking after a meeting with the new board of the Scientific and Technical Chamber of Cyprus (ETEK) where he informed them on matters of energy and natural gas.

Sylikiotis said ETEK asked him, in his capacity as member of the Ministerial Committee that will deal with Cyprus’ hydrocarbon issues, to overall briefing them on the energy developments, noting that most technocrats that are dealing with the issue are members of ETEK.

He said that a technical committee under the Ministry of Communications and Works has been appointed to decide on the site of the Energy Centre.

Asked where the issue of the second round of licensing stands, Sylikiotis said “we are in the process of planning and soon the second round of licensing will be announced”.

Sylikiotis said work is underway to prepare the proposals and documents while the experts’ group which will be advising the government on energy and natural gas issues, will soon be announced.

Turkey, whose troops occupy Cyprus’ northern part since they invaded in 1974, does not recognise the Republic of Cyprus. Following a decision by Nicosia to begin natural gas and oil exploration in its exclusive economic zone, Ankara has deployed warships in the Eastern Mediterranean and has signed an illegal agreement with the Turkish Cypriot regime in occupied Cyprus to delineate what it calls continental shelf.

Drilling has already begun by Houston-based “Noble Energy”, off Cyprus’ south-eastern coast.

Cyprus has signed an agreement to delineate the Exclusive Economic Zone with Egypt and Israel with a view to exploit any possible natural gas and oil reserves in its EEZ. A similar agreement has been signed with Lebanon but the Lebanese Parliament has not yet ratified it.

[Nikitas]

Turkey will not allow any independent exploration..... if this is an accurate translation of his statements then the man is obviously in need of serious psychotherapy. Being a diplomata and not realising that Turkey is surrounded by independent states, with sovereign rights, shows he is out of touch.

It reminds me of that definition of the psychopath, the person who keeps repeating the same action expecting different results every time. Meet yildirim (mr thunder).

We should all collect some cash and send him a gold embossed volume of the Law of the Sea.

On another note. Greek radio today citing Noble energy sources said that the drilling indicates "vast gas deposits". During the day they will no doubt come back to the report and amplify.

[humanist]

I think President Christofias needs to start pointing out the truth to the UN and state to them that they are not meeting their charter to protect small nations form larger nations.

On another matter I think the TC's to take responsibility about the current situation and we need to make it clear to them that we will not be sharing anything unless they agree to a unification and the right of return for all.