kimon07 wrote:House of Commons
Tuesday 30 October 2012……………………….
Oil and Gas (Cyprus)8. Jim Sheridan (Paisley and Renfrewshire North) (Lab): What assessment he has made of the political consequences in the middle east of the exploration for oil and gas off the coast of Cyprus. [125216]
The Minister for Europe
(Mr David Lidington): The discovery of oil and gas resources has the potential to bring greater prosperity and energy security to the region. We hope that
all countries in the region will work to overcome their differences to develop those resources in a mutually beneficial way.
Jim Sheridan: I thank the Minister for that response. He will be aware that Cyprus has moved on from olive oil to crude oil, and there are genuine concerns among all Cypriot people that
the illegal occupying forces in the north may wish to assist (
) the exploration of that oil against the best wishes of the Cypriot people. If that were to happen, what options would be open to the UK Government, given that we are a
governing power (
) and we do have a significant military presence on the island?
Mr Lidington: We have repeatedly stated publicly
our acceptance that the Republic of Cyprus has sovereign rights to exploit its mineral reserves within its exclusive economic zone. We think that the prospect of the greater prosperity that would flow from the successful exploitation of hydrocarbon resources in the eastern Mediterranean is one of many reasons why it is in the interests of Cyprus—all communities in Cyprus—
of Turkey and of Greece to reach a settlement to the
maritime disputes in that region and a final settlement to the Cyprus question, too.
Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate) (Con):
Given the stalling of the political search for a solution to the Cyprus problem, does not this exciting prospect of the exploration of hydrocarbon reserves highlight
both that Britain has an important role as a guarantor power in ensuring (
) that these are resources for the whole island of Cyprus, and that reunification of the island is an economic necessity for Cyprus and the greater region?
Mr Lidington: It is certainly important that these resources are seen as being developed for the benefit of all communities in Cyprus, not just for one section of the population there.
Any settlement that endures in Cyprus has to have the wholehearted consent of both the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities. That is why, although we want to support the work towards a settlement,
it is right that that process towards—we hope—a final settlement has to be Cypriot-led.He has finaly come to my words
Let us draft a new constitution NOW!
http://thechronicleherald.ca/world/1587 ... ure-in-50s
From the original source:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/p ... 0-0001.htmOil and Gas (Cyprus)
8. Jim Sheridan (Paisley and Renfrewshire North) (Lab): What assessment he has made of the political consequences in the middle east of the exploration for oil and gas off the coast of Cyprus. [125216]
The Minister for Europe (Mr David Lidington): The discovery of oil and gas resources has the potential to bring greater prosperity and energy security to the region. We hope that all countries in the region will work to overcome their differences to develop those resources in a mutually beneficial way.
Jim Sheridan: I thank the Minister for that response. He will be aware that Cyprus has moved on from olive oil to crude oil, and there are genuine concerns among all Cypriot people that the illegal occupying forces in the north may wish to assist the exploration of that oil against the best wishes of the Cypriot people. If that were to happen, what options would be open to the UK Government, given that we are a governing power and we do have a significant military presence on the island?
Mr Lidington: We have repeatedly stated publicly our acceptance that the Republic of Cyprus has sovereign rights to exploit its mineral reserves within its exclusive economic zone. We think that the prospect of the greater prosperity that would flow from the successful exploitation of hydrocarbon resources in the eastern Mediterranean is one of many reasons why it is in the interests of Cyprus—all communities in Cyprus—of Turkey and of Greece to reach a settlement to the maritime disputes in that region and a final settlement to the Cyprus question, too.
Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate) (Con): Given the stalling of the political search for a solution to the Cyprus problem, does not this exciting prospect of the exploration of hydrocarbon reserves highlight both that Britain has an important role
as a guarantor power in ensuring that these are resources for the whole island of Cyprus, and that reunification of the island is an economic necessity for Cyprus and the greater region?
Mr Lidington: It is certainly important that
these resources are seen as being developed for the benefit of all communities in Cyprus, not just for one section of the population there. Any settlement that endures in Cyprus has to have the wholehearted consent of both the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities. That is