Papadopoullos is not concerned...
By Fanos Droushiotis
Greek Cypriot Leader Tassos Papadopoulos dismissed reports that there was anything about Turkey’s reaction to the Cyprus offshore plans that caused concern to the government of Greece.
Lyıng to reporters after his return to the island from talks in Athens, Papadopoulos noted that only 10-15 minutes had been used to brief the Greek government on the offshore issue during the 2-hour long discussions.
“All these that I see in the papers make me wonder whether we are talking about the same meeting,” Papadopoulos remarked, using a distasteful manner to convince.
Asked to comment on reports that Greek companies might also be interested in obtaining an offshore licence in Cyprus, Papadopoullos said that the data prepared by the Norwegian company PGS were available to any oil firm for the fixed fee of 35,000 dollars.
While in Athens, Papadopoulos had stated that his government would press ahead with the offshore oil and gas exploration programme, dismissing strong objections from Turkey.
According to AP, however, Tassos Papadopoulos said his government would press ahead with an offshore oil and gas exploration program, dismissing strong objections from Turkey.
But Papadopoulos warned that it was uncertain whether possible fuel deposits off the island's southern coast would be sufficient for commercial exploitation.
"We will exercise our sovereign rights," Papadopoulos said.
"If (Turkey) wants to break international law in an act of provocation, I believe the international community must judge this."
"The exploitation of deposits, if they are located in commercially exploitable quantities - and this is a major if - will be handled accordingly," Papadopoulos said after talks with Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis.
Angering Turkey, South Cyprus opened international bidding last week for 11 offshore areas, with a number of international firms showing interest. The Greek Cypriot Administration has also signed deals with Lebanon and Egypt to mark out Mediterranean sea boundaries. Provoking as ever Papadopoulos accused Turkey of engaging in "threats and provocations" by warning Cyprus not to go ahead with the project.
Karamanlis said it was "self-evident" that Cyprus had the sovereign right to conduct offshore exploration. He said Turkey, as a candidate for EU membership, was "obliged to maintain good neighbourly relations and conform to international law."
However the Greek premier, at no point accused Turkey for any sort of threats or provocations in the matter, nor he disallowed any oil investigation venture to Turkey.