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Turkey On Its Own Over Oil and Gas Reserves

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Turkey On Its Own Over Oil and Gas Reserves

Postby Hermes » Tue Sep 20, 2011 7:33 pm

According to a Turkish academic the Turks don't have any legal basis to oppose Cyprus exploiting its natural resources. Neither does Turkey have any legal basis to set up an EEZ with the pirate state in the north. In other words, Turkey is on its own. Without a leg to stand to on. On every legal aspect. Of course we knew that. It seems the Turks also know it too.


Exclusive Area of Conflict

The dispute over the natural resources between Turkey and Southern Cyprus is expected to result in even further tensions that might also affect peace talks held on the divided island. bianet talked to an expert on the matter, Dr. Cengiz Aktar, Head of the EU Department of Bahçeşehir Universtiy (Istanbul).

Aktar referred to statements made by Dimitris Christofias, current President of Greek Cyprus, in which he had emphasized that both societies in the north and south were going to benefit from the natural resources of the United Federal Republic of Cyprus that shall be established. In the case of a united Cyprus, the oil would belong to the whole island. However, "today's calculations and negotiations are not taking that as a base", Aktar said.

How would you describe the main lines of the problem?

The issue is this: There has been an 'Exclusive Economic Area' (EEA) for the past 30 years more or less. It was defined in 1982 and came into force in 1994 as part of the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea. Turkey is not part of this agreement for a number of reasons and particularly because of the dispute with Greece on the continental shelf. Turkey is not part of the convention institutions either. There is an important institution which is the Court of International Maritime Law. That is a structure established within the framework of the convention. In addition, the EEA is not something that was declared unilaterally.

This situation concerns us. However, Turkey is not part of the argument because it is not part of the agreement. Turkey cannot apply to that court because it is not part of the convention. Neither is there any support to base objection on. The only thing left in your hands is force.

Is the military Turkey's only trump card?

The situation is very complicated indeed. There would even be problems if Turkey had signed the convention. Then, how could the Republic of Cyprus sit down and talk with a country it does not recognize as an official state? Turkey says it protects the rights of Northern Cyprus. What is that based on? Probably on the agreements of Zurich and London made in 1959 and 1960 respectively as a guarantor state. Yet, Turkey is not the guarantor of Northern Cyprus but of the Republic of Cyprus. So with the present attitude they enter the international arena by defending the rights of a country called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) that is not recognized by anybody. Nobody is going to take that seriously. It lacks any foundation. Taking legal steps and progressing that way is impossible. So what is left? Again the navy. This is the deadlock Turkey is in.

Prime Minister Erdoğan talked about a deal with Northern Cyprus...

The latest move was an EEA agreement between Northern Cyprus and Turkey... Such a thing can be done but it certainly has no influence in terms of international law. Or, in order to be able to put it into force, Turkey has to launch a new process but that will not easily come to a result either.

The government in Turkey sets the bar for this sort of issues very high. If you set the bar that high it is usually impossible to lower it. Considering the dilemmas I mentioned, frankly I do not know how they will get out of this. What will they do other than resorting to weapons? That would trigger an enormous response of course due to the lack of a legal basis.

It is an American company that is drilling for oil in Southern Cyprus. Does that create further problems?

The situation is very complicated. Noble Energy as the company searching for the oil is an American enterprise. An armed intervention by Turkey against such an economic undertaking would leave the country in an unpredictable difficult situation in my opinion. Turkey will not be able to overcome that easily. There is no justification. (...) There is nobody to speak out for the support of Turkey or the right of Northern Cyprus. Turkey is on its own.

You also have to look at what was said by the different parties. On one hand Southern Cyprus is negotiating with Northern Cyprus, on the other hand this issue comes to the agenda... This is a very unfortunate situation in terms of timing. Both negotiators will go to New York in October. They will submit a special representative report to UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon. The negotiations are said to be the last chance for quite a while.

Is Southern Cyprus going to take a step back?

It seems very difficult for Southern Cyprus to take a step back. If Turkey had not been that rigorous, Southern Cyprus might have been dissuaded by the USA or some European countries but unfortunately the issue got beyond that point. (...) There will be elections in 2012. Christofias' power is in difficulty. Accordingly, taking a step back seems to be very difficult in terms of domestic politics.

Also the developments in Northern Cyprus are not beneficial. There is a delegation of negotiators that is interlocked in finding a solution under any circumstances. Such an environment makes both a solution and the negotiations more difficult.

Northern Cyprus is very disturbed and so is the European Union (EU) because eventually Southern Cyprus is a member of the EU. The USA are very disturbed because it is a NATO member. There is the possibility of military contact with Southern Cyprus. Also Israel is in the business and even though it is not facing Turkey directly it is disturbed by this incident that is like a show of Turkey's strength. (...)

Cyprus will hold the EU Presidency in 2012. If the problem will not be solved till then, how is that going to affect the relations with the EU?

The relations between the EU and Turkey are worn out. However, they are not broken at least. Yet a military move, a military intervention would leave Turkey's relations with the EU on a very difficult basis. This may be a reason to stop negotiations.

How do the people of Northern Cyprus feel?

We know that both the government and the opposition in Northern Cyprus and the people as well are very disturbed about the timing. This confrontation can carry the potential to end ongoing negotiations and people are concerned that the issue may go that far. They do not say that they appreciate Southern Cyprus's drilling for oil but nobody calls for an intervention by Turkey either. They think that this issue is unfortunate and came untimely.


http://www.bianet.org/english/minoritie ... f-conflict
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Re: Turkey On Its Own Over Oil and Gas Reserves

Postby Hermes » Tue Sep 20, 2011 9:24 pm

More analysts state that Turkey has isolated itself and has no support on the gas issue. While its threats in the region look like they've backfired.

Such threats might be designed to unsettle investors in the area, but Ankara may have misjudged their impact.

"Erdogan's aim is to deter foreign investors in the contested eastern Mediterranean, but Turkey is isolated on this issue," said Fadi Hakura, from the London-based Chatham House think tank.

"It is clear that the U.S. and the EU will come firmly behind Cyprus, despite Turkey's muscular approach."


Turkey's stance has won kudos among Arabs and Muslims. But Daniel Korski, from the London-based European Council on Foreign Relations, said it might alienate EU states who already have reservations about admitting a largely Muslim country.

Ankara started EU accession talks in 2005 but they have flagged, largely because of the stalemate over northern Cyprus.

"Some Europeans are now beginning to worry about the point of strategic dialogue with a country that is moving beyond the pale of normal behaviour. It is going to be incredibly difficult," Korski said.


http://af.reuters.com/article/worldNews ... 01&sp=true
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Re: Turkey On Its Own Over Oil and Gas Reserves

Postby Lit » Wed Sep 21, 2011 12:20 am

US warns Turkey on its Israel, Cyprus approach

Tuesday, September 20, 2011
NEW YORK - Hürriyet Turkish Daily News
Clinton has warned FM Davutoğlu on Monday to ‘keep door open’ to have better ties with Israel also calling
on Turkey for respecting Greek Cyprus’ “right to explore’ gas and oil in the Eastern Mediterranean

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php? ... 2011-09-20
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Re: Turkey On Its Own Over Oil and Gas Reserves

Postby Kikapu » Wed Sep 21, 2011 11:58 am

Everyone can see that this person, Dr. Cengiz Aktar, Head of the EU Department of Bahçeşehir Universtiy (Istanbul) is nothing but an impostor and not a Turk at all, because he is a free thinker, using common sense and facts in law in expressing the issues relating to Turkey, Cyprus and the EU in his above article. He can ONLY be a Turk hater and a GC sympathizer! :lol:
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Re: Turkey On Its Own Over Oil and Gas Reserves

Postby Capt J Sparrow » Wed Sep 21, 2011 12:53 pm

Hermes wrote:
Without a leg to stand to on.


Not even a peg mate. :lol:
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Re: Turkey On Its Own Over Oil and Gas Reserves

Postby Lit » Thu Sep 22, 2011 12:56 pm

Hermes wrote:According to a Turkish academic the Turks don't have any legal basis to oppose Cyprus exploiting its natural resources.


Especially in the region where the drilling is taking place which is in block 12 at the southern end :

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Re: Turkey On Its Own Over Oil and Gas Reserves

Postby Lit » Thu Sep 22, 2011 4:05 pm

BERLIN - The head of Germany's Foreign Affairs Committee in the Bundestag, Deputy Ruprecht Polenz, reprimanded Turkey's jingoistic policies toward Israel and Cyprus, according to a Tuesday report in a Turkish daily.

The Turkish newspaper Hürriyet Daily News reported Polenz as saying on Monday that Turkey's statements against Israel recall the language of “Arab dictators.”

http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPoliti ... ?id=239060
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Re: Turkey On Its Own Over Oil and Gas Reserves

Postby Hermes » Thu Sep 22, 2011 4:34 pm

Lit wrote:
Hermes wrote:According to a Turkish academic the Turks don't have any legal basis to oppose Cyprus exploiting its natural resources.


Especially in the region where the drilling is taking place which is in block 12 at the southern end :

Image


Not according to the Turks who have some weird ideas about geography:

Upon signing the agreement, Turkish ships will appear in a "TRNC" controlled area that will start from the occupied Karpasia peninsula and Varosha and extend to 12 nautical miles, and will be able to get down to parcel 12, the area where the drilling takes place....

http://www.hri.org/news/cyprus/tcpr/201 ... pr.html#08
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Re: Turkey On Its Own Over Oil and Gas Reserves

Postby Lit » Sat Sep 24, 2011 1:45 pm

Lit wrote:
Hermes wrote:According to a Turkish academic the Turks don't have any legal basis to oppose Cyprus exploiting its natural resources.


Especially in the region where the drilling is taking place which is in block 12 at the southern end :

Image


More info about Turkey's Micky mouse agreement on the delineation of the continental shelf between it and the so called trnc. Turks are claiming Block 2 and 3 in Cyprus’ EEZ for the breakaway state AND Blocks 1, 4, 5, 6 and 7 in Cyprus' EEZ being claimed by Turkey for itself. LOL
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Re: Turkey On Its Own Over Oil and Gas Reserves

Postby Lit » Sat Sep 24, 2011 2:03 pm

Lit wrote:
Lit wrote:
Hermes wrote:According to a Turkish academic the Turks don't have any legal basis to oppose Cyprus exploiting its natural resources.


Especially in the region where the drilling is taking place which is in block 12 at the southern end :

Image


More info about Turkey's Micky mouse agreement on the delineation of the continental shelf between it and the so called trnc. Turks are claiming Block 2 and 3 in Cyprus’ EEZ for the breakaway state AND Blocks 1, 4, 5, 6 and 7 in Cyprus' EEZ being claimed by Turkey for itself. LOL


Here is the source
http://www.cyprus.gov.cy/moi/pio/pio.ns ... enDocument

“Frigates sail into the Mediterranean”
Under the above title, Turkish daily Aksam (23.09.11) reports that the Turkish Navy vessels Salih Reis, Sokullu Mehmet Pasa and Oncu have sailed from Izmir. According to the paper, the ships’ mission is to act as a hindrance if drilling activities start in areas that Cyprus has declared as its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), but Turkey says that they belong to “Turkey’s or TRNC’s territorial waters”.

The paper writes that one of the frigates will wait in “Turkey’s territorial waters”, 6 miles open of Cyprus and it will be possible to be seen from the city of Pafos. The other 2 frigates will patrol the area while 3 torpedo boats which are part of the “TRNC Peace Forces” [as they refer to Turkey’s occupational forces] will patrol plots 2 and 3 of Cyprus’s EEZ. The ships will reportedly not take any action in plot 12 where currently exploratory drilling is under way, since it does not belong to “Turkey’s of TRNC’s territorial waters.” Additionally, 3 submarines have sailed yesterday morning from the Golcuk naval base.

Moreover, the paper reports that according to Ankara, out of the 13 plots that constitute Cyprus’ EEZ, plots 1, 4, 5, 6 and 7 belong to Turkey, while plots 2 and 3 belong to “TRNC’s territorial waters.”
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