Cyprus-Forum.com

[wyoming cowboy]

an old Cypriot saying "when God wants to destroy an ant it gives it wings"....same with Turkey, its been given the opportunity to destroy itself...

[supporttheunderdog]

...... both that Britain has an important role as a guarantor power ......

Some needs to remind that rt honorable twat, that in 1974, the UK failed in its duty as a 'guarantor Power'. Suddenly the smell of methane has woken the MFs up.
Gamoto keraton tous poushto englezous.

http://www2.lse.ac.uk/europeanInstitute/research/hellenicObservatory/pdf/3rd_Symposium/PAPERS/CONSTANDINOS_ANDREAS.pdf
the UK was shafted by the Yanks in 1974, too when for thir own reasons the US decided to sabotage Britain's efforts to support Big Mak and later stop a Turkish invasion, where Britain was looking at Naval intervention but needed American Navy support which they did not get.

The Americans did not trust the Brit Prime Minister, Wilson, who was thought by some to be a Soviet Agent.

War between Greece and Turkey would have been bad enough for Nato but a dispute betwenn the Usa / Britain on one side and Turkey on the other which would have followed would have been worse and the US put its own interests first which meant at the minimum non-oppostion to the Invasion, so they got to keep their land bases in Turkey.

As you will see GB was even looking at giving up the SBA which again was contrary to USA interests...

Kissinger is a war criminal - may he rot....

[kimon07]

It seems that the Neo Ottoman megalomania of Erdogan and his clowns, combined with the messy developments all around the East Med., is rapidly shifting the balance in our favour and offers the opportunity for the creation of a new, long term axis of power (thank you Mr. Prime Minister).

Below is another and very recent article – answer to all those who were dreaming/ suggesting/ hoping that Cypriot and Israeli natural gas should go to the EU through Turkey.
Here are some parts of it.

Will U.S. Choose the Right Side in the Eastern Mediterranean?

July 3, 2013
by Seth Cropsey
(Senior Fellow at Hudson Institute. Previously, he served as Deputy Undersecretary of the Navy during both the Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations).
http://mobile.hudson.org/articles/artic ... fm?id=9659
………..
But just as nature abhors a vacuum, so does geopolitics. Israel, Greece and Cyprus have drawn closer in an unprecedented political, military and energy relationship. Turkey downgraded its relations with Israel and is supporting the terrorist organization, Hamas. Turkey has increased trade and military ties with other Sunni states, and is backing Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist groups fighting in Syria. Ankara has also threatened to use naval force to interfere with U.S.-based Noble Energy's operations for gas transshipment from the region. Such attempts are a throwback to the sultans whose imperial reach extended into the Balkans, central Europe and the North African littoral.
………..

With Egypt's fiscal affairs crumbling and Turkey acting of the Arab world's old leader, Turkish influence is likely to tilt the balance of power toward the Sunni bloc. The new order comes with an even darker side. In 2012 the leader of the Palestinian terrorist organization, Hamas, told Prime Minister Erdogan what the sultans longed to hear: "You are not only a Turkish leader. You are, now, also a leader of the world of Islam."
…………..

American statesmen should be looking ahead to consider how best to create a practical order that reflects the U.S.'s own interests as well as those we share with Israel, Greece and Cyprus -- first among those is security. There is increasing cooperation in both defence and security, including intelligence between Athens and Jerusalem. Greece expects to gain from Israel's expertise in special forces and tactical air operations, as Israel benefits from Greece's naval experience as well as its air space available for training……

……………

A very close second area of overlapping interest is energy. Plans for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility on Cyprus, with the potential to achieve economies of scale for Israel and Cyprus, have become key to reaching defence agreements among Athens, Nicosia and Jerusalem. A quadrilateral coalition or alliance -- the U.S., Israel, Greece and Cyprus -- could help ensure the security of hydrocarbon deposits off Israel and Cyprus, and Greece, which will help reduce EU dependence on unreliable producers, like Russia. It would also lessen the EU's dependence on Turkey, which seeks to become a transshipment point for the gas and oil that has already been discovered.

………..

The U.S. has no interest in enmity with Turkey, but we have a very large interest in supporting our Turkish friends who still envision a moderate secular state, and demonstrating to those who seek a return to the Ottoman Empire's ambitions what the disadvantages of such policy are. A clear-eyed view of Mr. Erdogan's regime and the creation of ever-stronger relations with Israel, Greece and Cyprus would be a good start.

[kimon07]

It seems that the Neo Ottoman megalomania of Erdogan and his clowns, combined with the messy developments all around the East Med., is rapidly shifting the balance in our favour and offers the opportunity for the creation of a new, long term axis of power (thank you Mr. Prime Minister).

And another one:

Israel, Cyprus and Greece working on a joint strategic plan

By David Solway, PJM
http://www.israpundit.com/archives/54138

.....................................................
George Stavri alludes to an agreement that “has already been signed between Cyprus and Israel allowing the latter the use of Cyprus’ military infrastructure” in order to protect both plant and personnel. This provision may be regarded as one wall or tower in the construction of a more extended fortification and base of operations. Another is the cooperation agreement between the Hellenic and Israeli air forces, which have engaged in planning and execution exercises. These are strong preliminaries and, as it were, necessary scaffolding; nonetheless, in a stormy and volatile political climate where, to cite from the bilateral position paper of two American congressmen, the “current energy supply is particularly threatened by instability in the region,” it’s the edifice itself that counts in the long run. The elements are already in place; the question is whether to pussyfoot or to be pro-active. Submissive myopia is never a good idea in the face of a geopolitical bully. The kind of league or alliance being proposed is not aggressive in intention, but its status needs to be concretely ratified and a comprehensive structure set up if it is to serve its purpose as a deterrent. Turkey, for all its bluster and ostensible might, would be effectively stymied.
Circumstances now demand decisive action. A three-nation triangle as an expression of muscular political will and held together by a joint command center predicated on the ability to project power is more than a geometric figure on a map. It is a force-multiplier, a signal of conviction, and, in the eastern Mediterranean, a defensive configuration to be reckoned with. Its benefits in energy security, economic opportunity, political virility, and military preparedness should not be discounted.

[kimon07]

It seems that the Neo Ottoman megalomania of Erdogan and his clowns, combined with the messy developments all around the East Med., is rapidly shifting the balance in our favour and offers the opportunity for the creation of a new, long term axis of power (thank you Mr. Prime Minister).

And more:

THE NEW ENERGY TRIANGLE (NET) OF CYPRUS-GREECE-ISRAEL: CASTING A NET FOR TURKEY?!

SUNDAY, 14 OCTOBER 2012 15:21
George Stavri
(Energy Analyst from Cyprus, a Stanford University graduate mentored by former US Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice, today a Visiting Researcher at Dundee University's Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy (UK) working on the geo-strategic repercussions in the region of the New Energy alliance of Cyprus, Greece and Israel)

Copyright: http://www.rieas.gr

Executive Summary:

A long-running speculation over massive natural gas reserves in the tumultuous area of the South-eastern Mediterranean and in Cyprus's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) became a reality in December 2011 when official reports of the research and scoping were released. Nearby Israel has already confirmed its own reserves right next to Cyprus' EEZ but the location of Cypriot reserves with all the intricacies of the intractable Cyprus Problem and the discovery's timing along with other grave and interwoven events in the region, came to create a veritable tinderbox...... Read more

http://www.rieas.gr/research-areas/gree ... urkey.html

[repulsewarrior]

...makes me think how quickly things shift, i remember Greece as the significant (NATO) power in 1974. i remember how it turned to Turkey's benefit; things do go round and round.

[Cap]

...makes me think how quickly things shift, i remember Greece as the significant (NATO) power in 1974. i remember how it turned to Turkey's benefit; things do go round and round.

Elaborate.
Some of us are spring chickens apparently.

[repulsewarrior]

...i may be wrong, but as i recall, Greece was the center of Naval power for NATO, as a result of the Junta's fall, this was shifted to Turkey.

[Oceanside50]

actually from what I know, due to Turkeys poor performance in Cyprus in 74, more attention was payed to Greece hence the 7 to 10 ratio in military aid.

[kimon07]

...i may be wrong, but as i recall, Greece was the center of Naval power for NATO, as a result of the Junta's fall, this was shifted to Turkey.

Not so.

Greece’s modern naval power started being built by the junta (purchase of modern missile fast boats type “Combattante I” 4 modern German built submarines type 209/1100 etc) but reached its peak with the purchases (and local ship buildings) of Karamanlis after 1978 (4 additional submarines type 209/1200, 2 Dutch missile frigates type “Kortenaer”, 8 additional fast missile boats) and again with the purchases and buildings by the government of Mitsotakis of 4 new German missile frigates (MEKO 200HN) 5 additional second hand “Kortenaer” frigates 3 American missile frigates (KNOX decommissioned long ago) and 4 American second hand missile destroyers type ADAM, (“KIMON” class) decommissioned long ago. Presently the HN has 14 frigates (the 4 Meko and 14 Kortenaer), around 20 new and older fast missile boats (3 more under construction in the Greek shipyards) and 9 submarines. I think only 12 frigates are operational and 7 or 8 of the submarines including the most new one (209/1400 Papanikolis). 3 more 209/1400 are under construction in the Greek shipyards but their construction is delayed due to the situation with the countries economy).
http://www.hellas.org/military/navy/

You can add to the naval power the 19 Mirage 2000s E/BGM of the HAF which can launch the EXOCET naval (air to surface) missiles.
http://www.haf.gr/en/mission/weapons/weapon.asp?id=3
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellenic_Air_Force