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[CBBB]

Turkish warships harass Israeli freighters. Israeli missile boats off Cyprus

DEBKAfile Exclusive Report October 2, 2011, 11:10 AM (GMT+02:00)

Increasingly assertive Turkey is setting the scene for clashes in the eastern Mediterranean. Since Thursday, Sept. 29, Turkish warships have been harassing Israeli merchant vessels in waters off Cyprus, debkafile's military sources report. They come close enough to establish wireless communication and caution the Israeli vessels they are in contravention of international law and ordering them to change course. The Israeli crews mostly ignore these "orders", treating them as Ankara's latest bid to assert Turkish naval mastery of the Eastern Mediterranean. But the situation is getting explosive enough to spark a major incident.
Over the weekend, Israeli Air Force planes circled near the sites of the incidents but not directly over the Turkish vessels. At the same time Israeli missile ships sailed close to Cyprus's Exclusive Economic Zone waters, where the Houston-based Noble Energy began drilling for natural gas on Sept. 19 in the face of Turkish threats. The rig is situated 160 kilometers south of Cyprus adjacent to Israel's Leviathan gas field.

Western naval sources tracking the new Turkish and Israeli deployments reported Saturday, Oct. 1: "Turkey and Israel are in a constant muscle-flexing contest in the eastern Mediterranean. They are metaphorically shaking fists in each other's faces and raising the risk of a confrontation that could quickly veer out of control."

Last week, Ankara retaliated for Cypriot and Israeli deep sea gas explorations by sending an exploration ship of its own escorted by a frigate and a submarine to Cyprus. Ankara sources also disclosed that Turkish F-16 fighters had been deployed in the northern part of the island.
Voicing concern over Turkey's assertiveness, NATO secretary-general, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Friday, Sept. 30, said: "Obviously, the tensions between Turkey and Israel are a matter of concern. It's a bilateral issue – NATO is not going to interfere with that. But it is the interest of the alliance to see these tensions eased, because Turkey is a key ally and Israel is a valuable partner for the alliance."

The NATO Secretary contradicted Ankara's claim that Israel would not be allowed to open an office at alliance headquarters in Brussels. "NATO defense ministers agreed during the meeting in April that NATO partners can have offices… This includes all partners," he said.

Referring to concern about the tensions over natural gas exploration "between Turkey and Cyprus as well as Israel," Rasmussen said: "I urge all parties to find peaceful solutions to disputes through constructive dialogue." He said he did not expect armed clashes in the region. However, he suggested that Turkey has to be managed carefully as it asserts a growing role on the global stage.

Also Saturday, Cyprus President Dimitris Christofias had this message for Ankara: "I wish to underline to all those who attempt to question this right of the Republic of Cyprus: our sovereign rights are non-negotiable."
Five days ago, the prime ministers of Greece and Turkey, George Papandreou and Tayyip Erdogan talked by phone. And four days ago, Adm. James Stavridis, Commander of NATO forces in Europe, flew to Ankara directly from Israel for talks with Turkish leaders.

Turkish harassment of Israeli cargo vessels began after those interchanges, indicating that the Erdogan government has no intention of meeting exasperated US and NATO efforts to cool rising tensions in the eastern Mediterranean.

http://www.debka.com/article/21352/

[Capt J Sparrow]

Where is the Spartan Navy and Yialoser?

AWOL? Pulling their tiny dicks? Or are they too busy lifting each others skirts?

[Simon]

The answer is, watching closely...

GREECE AND Russia rallied behind Cyprus yesterday in the island’s rights to explore for hydrocarbons in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and to condemn Turkish threats as the Cyprus Republic turned 51.
Greek Minister of National Defence Panos Beglitis, who attended yesterday’s parade, told reporters: “We are in close cooperation with Cyprus’ leadership, we are watching Turkey’s actions very closely, in a composed and decisive manner and I would like once again to denounce statements often made by the Turkish political leadership, as well as the policies followed.”
Russian Ambassador to Cyprus Vyacheslav Shumskiy said Moscow’s position was “absolutely clear” on the issue. “We were among the first countries to comment on that, and we totally support the sovereign right of the Cypriot people for exploitation of natural resources , this is totally in accordance with the international law and with the EU regulations, so there is no doubt about that,” he said.
The comments came amid increasing reports of military activity around the area of Block 12 within the Cyprus EEZ where American company Noble Energy has begun drilling.
Also the New York Times reported that NATO’s secretary general, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, had expressed disquiet about tensions over natural gas exploration in the Mediterranean between a newly assertive Turkey and Cyprus, as well as Turkey’s strained relations with Israel, saying that they were both “a matter of concern.”
Rasmussen said he did not foresee the tension turning into conflict, and he praised Turkey as an indispensable member of NATO that could be “a bridge” between the West and the Arab countries now engaged in revolts.
“Obviously the tensions between Turkey and Israel are a matter of concern,” he said in an interview in Brussels. “It’s a bilateral issue, NATO is not going to interfere with that,” he added, “but it is the interest of the alliance to see these tensions eased, because Turkey is a key ally and Israel is a valuable partner for the alliance.”
Asked about Turkey’s warning that it might send military ships toward Cyprus, Rasmussen said that “NATO as an organization is not going to interfere with these disputes,” while adding, “I do not envisage armed conflict in the eastern part of the Mediterranean.”
Yesterday local daily Phileleftheros reported that Turkey planned to escalate its activities in and around the Nicosia Flight Information region (FIR) with a series of military night-time “search and rescue” exercises stretching between Akrotiri – south of Limassol - and Noble’s rig the Homer Ferrington, which is around 160 km off the coast.
The paper also said that Israel was monitoring the Turkish moves with unmanned drones circling the drilling area.
Meanwhile under the headline “The Russians are coming’, daily Politis yesterday said the Russian aircraft carrier ‘Admiral Kuznetsov’ was expected in the eastern Mediterranean region next month.
An officer of the Russian fleet, speaking to the ITAR-Tass news agency reportedly said that the aircraft would arrive in the region on November 19 for three months, carrying with it a large number of Russian fighters. A submarine was also mentioned for “patrol purposes” as part of exercises with other countries in the area. Politis said the arrival of the Russians coincided with the expected announcement by Noble of its initial drilling results.
Asked yesterday about the possible visit by the Admiral Kuznetsov, Russian ambassador Shumskiy said he had no such information but would be available to comment once he was briefed.
“This is news to me, I don't have anything official about that, absolutely nothing, so far it’s news to me,” he said.
Shumskiy did say he thought Turkey’s stance was not a “wise one”, although he added that he did not see the situation becoming “hot”.
President Demetris Christofias yesterday repeated that Cyprus’ sovereignty was non-negotiable and that the Republic would not consider any form of arbitration or mediation in exploration issue.
He did however extend a comment to the Turkish Cypriots, saying that a discovery of oil and gas would be a “blessing” for the entire peoples of Cyprus. He urged that the matter become a catalyst for a Cyprus solution rather than an obstacle.
Christofias attended the parade, along with Archbishop Chrysostomos as well as Greek National Defence Minister Panos Beglitis, and diplomats.
The day was not without incident however when a small group from the ‘Indignant’ protesting against the Mari blast events tried to approach the officials’ platform, and clashed with the police.
“Police members tried to stop this group… one of them tried to break through the police barrier. A police officer tried to stop him and in doing so the member of the public fell on the ground and claimed he was hit by police,” spokesperson Michalis Katsounotos said.
The report into the Mari blast compiled by investigator Polys Polyviou, comes out tomorrow.

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/greec ... s/20111002

[Capt J Sparrow]

Yes well I am sure that Malta is also behind Cyprus to explore for hydrocarbons, but words are very cheap. Not that I expect anything from Malta.

Words are cheap in Greece's case I'm afraid. I'm not easily impressed by this increasingly irrelevant, and defeated nation.

[ZoC]

The answer is, watching closely...

yep, they've been watching closely for the last 37 years while cyprus got raped by turkey... wot are they, f*cking perverts?

[supporttheunderdog]

The answer is, watching closely...

yep, they've been watching closely for the last 37 years while cyprus got raped by turkey... wot are they, f*cking perverts?

Be fair - Turkey only got in on the act after the Greeks tried to get Cyprus into bed against Cyprus' will:

[ZoC]

The answer is, watching closely...

yep, they've been watching closely for the last 37 years while cyprus got raped by turkey... wot are they, f*cking perverts?

Be fair - Turkey only got in on the act after the Greeks tried to get Cyprus into bed against Cyprus' will:

even more culpable... even more reason to put right the wrong. like that other guarantor bitch, britain, who says searching for gas is "legally defensible" but "politically inflammatory".... btw i chased that libdem piece of shit sir graham watson....

Please can you have the decency to acknowledge my email of 29 September? A simple apology for your crassness will do.

May I remind you of LibDem policy on "International Affairs".

"Liberal Democrats will put British values of decency and the rule of law back at the heart of our foreign policy."

[Capt J Sparrow]

"Liberal Democrats will put British values of decency and the rule of law back at the heart of our foreign policy."

This is almost as bad as all these wannabe Spartan Geeks thinking they have bollocks by telling Cyprus that it has their support whilst watching Turkey get away with murder very closely.

No worries bitches, but if my sister was being raped, I wouldn't be watching very closely. I will send the piece of shit into the after life.

[ZoC]

"Liberal Democrats will put British values of decency and the rule of law back at the heart of our foreign policy."

This is almost as bad as all these wannabe Spartan Geeks thinking they have bollocks by telling Cyprus that it has their support whilst watching Turkey get away with murder very closely.

No worries bitches, but if my sister was being raped, I wouldn't be watching very closely. I will send the piece of shit into the after life.

there's an expression i like: "don't let ur mouth sign cheques that ur body can't cash".

well greece's cheques have been bouncing big time; legally, economically and morally bankrupt - and britain ain't far behind...

[Capt J Sparrow]

"Liberal Democrats will put British values of decency and the rule of law back at the heart of our foreign policy."

This is almost as bad as all these wannabe Spartan Geeks thinking they have bollocks by telling Cyprus that it has their support whilst watching Turkey get away with murder very closely.

No worries bitches, but if my sister was being raped, I wouldn't be watching very closely. I will send the piece of shit into the after life.

there's an expression i like: "don't let ur mouth sign cheques that ur body can't cash".

well greece's cheques have been bouncing big time; legally, economically and morally bankrupt - and britain ain't far behind...

Yes, very true, Greece's cheques are bouncing alright, legally, morally and economically! But they are militarily strong, in the air and at sea, and yet they don't have the bollocks to stand up for themselves let alone stand up for Cyprus. Pathetic!

If they defended their legal rights, then they wouldn't be broke today, as you said in one of your earlier posts. That is true. Just goes to show they don't even respect themselves, so why would I respect them? Why would anyone in their right mind respect them, even slightly?