Cyprus-Forum.com

[Lit]

Waters roil in Eastern Mediterranean
By DAVID ROSENBERG / THE MEDIA LINE
10/16/2011 10:08

Navies crowd into waters as Turkey presses Cyprus on gas reserves; Ankara’s increased presence in line with its aspirations to regional power.

Turkey has a corvette, frigate and helicopters escorting its exploration vessel, the Piri
Reis, as it explores for gas and oil. The US has quietly dispatched an aircraft and
Russian naval vessels have been seen patrolling. News reports say US reconnaissance planes have circled the vessel on at least two occasions and on another occasion low-flying Israeli warplanes and helicopters "harassed" a Turkish ship.

http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=241887

[Get Real!]

Turkish delusions of grandeur are an intricate part of their DNA makeup…

“New world order being shaped in Turkey”
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-259985- ... urkey.html

[ZoC]

Waters roil in Eastern Mediterranean
By DAVID ROSENBERG / THE MEDIA LINE
10/16/2011 10:08

Navies crowd into waters as Turkey presses Cyprus on gas reserves; Ankara’s increased presence in line with its aspirations to regional power.

Turkey has a corvette, frigate and helicopters escorting its exploration vessel, the Piri
Reis, as it explores for gas and oil. The US has quietly dispatched an aircraft and
Russian naval vessels have been seen patrolling. News reports say US reconnaissance planes have circled the vessel on at least two occasions and on another occasion low-flying Israeli warplanes and helicopters "harassed" a Turkish ship.

http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=241887

looks like turkey's friggin' frigates are cruising for a bruising...

[Hermes]

Turkish delusions grow daily:

Turkish Army Commander's statements on drilling in the Eastern Mediterranean

Turkish NTV news channel (24.10.11, online) reports on statements by Turkey's Chief of General Staff, General Necdet Ozel, who in a written response to questions by the NTV, commented on various issues such as the ongoing PKK operations, the co-operation with the USA, the relations with Syria and Israel, his views regarding the Sledgehammer trial, new proposals regarding professional soldiers and reducing the conscript duty.

Asked to comment on the "tension" in Eastern Mediterranean, Ozel said that the area is a very important route connecting the Atlantic with the Indian Ocean, which can also be described as an "energy waterway." He said that lately it has also been identified as an energy deposit, adding another reason to the 10-year-old problem of delineating the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ).

"Our country has a land surface of 780,000 km2 and there is an additional sea territory of 460,000 km2 called Blue Homeland. About one-third of our Blue Homeland is in the Eastern Mediterranean. Turkey is one of the countries with the biggest coastline in this sea, I believe that our EEZ should be proportional to the length of our coastline," Ozel argued.

He also claimed that the exploratory drilling conducted by the Republic of Cyprus constitutes a violation to the rights of Turkey and the "TRNC" [editor's note: as he described the breakaway regime]. He alleged that this is a unilateral effort to benefit from the natural wealth which belongs equally to Turkish Cypriots and to sabotage the ongoing negotiations.

http://www.hri.org/news/cyprus/tcpr/201 ... .tcpr.html

[bill cobbett]

Yes doubtless Turkey has a pretty long southern coast-line... and would have a huge EEZ to the south as well, erm...if it weren't for the little matter of a couple of inhabited islands to the south by the names of Cyprus and Kastellorizo, that's the Law of the Sea.

The Military Bully Turkey, practically the only country in the world that feels it can muscle in on and grab the natural resources of other nations.

... and how much does it cost We A'int Got Any Oil Of Our Own So We'll Pinch It from Others Turkey to import oil ? ...

.... About 40 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR (from http://www.indexmundi.com/turkey/oil_imports.html )

That remarkable figure says it all.

[Get Real!]

Yes doubtless Turkey has a pretty long southern coast-line... and would have a huge EEZ to the south as well, erm...if it weren't for the little matter of a couple of inhabited islands to the south by the names of Cyprus and Kastellorizo, that's the Law of the Sea.

The Military Bully Turkey, practically the only country in the world that feels it can muscle in on and grab the natural resources of other nations.

... and how much does it cost We A'int Got Any Oil Of Our Own So We'll Pinch It from Others Turkey to import oil ? ...

.... About 40 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR (from http://www.indexmundi.com/turkey/oil_imports.html )

That remarkable figure says it all.

And they've wasted about half having the Piri-Piri running around aimlessly for two months!

[Lit]

Turkey Must Back Down from Military Intimidation, Says Pallone

http://asbarez.com/98913/turkey-must-ba ... s-pallone/
Wednesday, October 26th, 2011

WASHINGTON—Representative Frank Pallone (D-NJ) Wednesday wrote to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton regarding Turkey’s disregard for international law and recent threats to Israel and Cyprus. Recent reports indicate that Turkish F-16 fighters have been deployed in the Turkish occupied northern Cyprus and Turkish warships have been harassing Israeli merchant vessels in the Cypriot waters.

“There is no question that should any type of violent conflict erupt in the east Mediterranean between Turkey and Cyprus or Israel that it will be result of Turkish aggression in violation of international law,” Pallone wrote in the letter.

The complete text of the letter appears below.

Dear Secretary Clinton:

I am writing to express my deep concerns regarding the Republic of Turkey’s recent aggressive posturing towards Israel and Cyprus. Israel and Cyprus have proven to be steadfast allies of the United States and have shown their dedication to respecting international law. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of Turkey, which has expanded its policies of threatening peaceful acting neighbors with complete disregard for international law.

Recently, Cyprus and Israel signed an agreement for the delimitation of their Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) which has enabled them to cooperate in oil and gas exploration in a coordinated manner. Cyprus’s sovereign right to access its natural resources within its own territory is well recognized by the international community and, I believe, their cooperation with Israel in this regard deserves to be commended. Turkey, however, has met this news with renewed threats towards Cyprus and Israel.

Furthermore, the U.S. based Noble Energy Inc. has entered into an agreement with the government of Cyprus and has begun to carry out exploration in the east Mediterranean, within Cyprus’s offshore territory. While respecting and promoting the sovereign rights of an ally is important to U.S. interests, protection of a U.S. company must also be a priority of the Department of State.

Turkey’s threats have now escalated and have become actions that are directed at provoking conflict with peacefully acting nations. Turkey has sent an oil exploration ship escorted by a frigate and a submarine to the waters off Cyprus, hardly actions of a peaceful mission. Recent reports indicate that Turkish F-16 fighters have been deployed in the Turkish occupied northern Cyprus and Turkish warships have been harassing Israeli merchant vessels in Cypriot waters.

There is no question that should any type of violent conflict erupt in the east Mediterranean between Turkey and Cyprus or Israel that it will be result of Turkish aggression in violation of international law. Additionally, should the Turkish navy take action to interfere with a U.S. based company pursuing a legal agreement to explore for natural gas with a European Union nation it would certainly require a strong reaction from the United States.

In stark contrast to the actions of the Turkish government, President Demetris Christofias of Cyprus announced at the United Nations that Cyprus would share revenues generated by its natural gas development with Turkish occupied northern Cyprus. Additionally, the Israeli government has refused to engage Turkey in its heated rhetoric and has instead carried on with its legal and peaceful operations in the east Mediterranean in accordance with its agreement with Cyprus.

Israel and Cyprus are key allies of the United States and their importance to our strategic goals in the region cannot be overstated. U.S. foreign policy should reflect a dedication to assist in their protection and prosperity. I urge you to issue a statement calling on Turkey to cease its policies of intimidation and military threat toward our allies. I also ask that you call on the Turkish government to recall all of its naval ships and military aircraft that have been dispatched to interfere with the lawful exploration of natural resources in the east Mediterranean.

Sincerely,
FRANK PALLONE, JR.
Member of Congress

[bill cobbett]

Well said Congressman Pallone.

Would only add that any escalations would also be the fault of the international community and the US in particular in putting up with this belligerent nonsense from Turkey.

[Hermes]

Interview with Christos Rozakis, Professor of International Law at the University of Athens, President of the Administrative Court of the Council of Europe and former first Vice-President of the European Court of Human Rights...

ROZAKIS - CYPRUS - EEZ

The delineations regarding Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) are “impeccable” and Turkish “unilateral or irrational demands`` in Cyprus’ southern seas are ``groundless`` and do not constitute a “serious dispute, which could be resolved by an international judicial body”.

This was underlined by Christos Rozakis, Professor of International Law at the University of Athens, President of the Administrative Court of the Council of Europe and former first Vice-President of the European Court of Human Rights.

In an interview with the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), Professor Rozakis referred to Turkish demands in Cyprus` EEZ, saying that they lack ``substantive and legal foundation and they furthermore turn Cyprus into a hostage to unreasonable demands”.

``The delineations as regards Cyprus’ EEZ are impeccable. Unilateral or irrational demands by Turkey, which are based on the groundless argumentation that Turkey can claim maritime zones in Cyprus’ southern seas, do not constitute a serious dispute which could be resolved by an international judicial body”, he said.

Referring to the illegal agreement Ankara has signed with the Turkish Cypriot regime in occupied Cyprus to delineate what it calls continental shelf, he said the agreement has no legal value since the Turkish Cypriot regime is illegal and cannot conclude bilateral agreements.

As regards the exploratory drilling for hydrocarbon reserves, which began a few weeks ago in Cyprus’ EEZ, Rozakis said that in the event that natural gas deposits are found, this could give Turkish Cypriots one more incentive to work for the reunification of Cyprus, divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion...

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

[GreekIslandGirl]

... in the event that natural gas deposits are found, this could give Turkish Cypriots one more incentive to work for the reunification of Cyprus,

Very confidence building to know the TCs might come rushing back for .... money!

... then walk away again when it dries out?

Not a firm basis for negotiations, methinks.