Oil and gas issue must not derail the talks, says Downer

UN Special Adviser Alexander Downer said that a new phase in the Cyprus talks will begin next week, as all the chapters will have been discussed by tomorrow when the two leaders meet again.

“I will be talking with the leaders tomorrow about how we’re going to handle this new phase”, he said, adding that they had obviously given that some thought.

He said this will be a phase leading up to the meeting with the Secretary-General. Although no date has been confirmed on that yet, it is likely to be towards thee end of October, he said.

“How that meeting will go will depend very much on what’s been achieved by then”, he added. The last meeting between the two leaders is scheduled for 21 October.

Mr Downer was speaking after Tuesday’s meeting between the two leaders during which they discussed European Union matters, one of the less contentious chapters in the negotiations.

He said the meeting would be followed by meetings of experts as happened in the discussion on the economy chapter, which, he said “was pretty successful and they certainly have moved forward”.

Asked how concerned he was that the controversy over the hydrocarbons could derail the peace talks, Mr. Downer replied: “Well, it hasn’t so far, it has to be said. And, indeed, during today’s meeting, there was no discussion about the controversy over hydrocarbons. The process is continuing in exactly the same vein as it had been before this controversy erupted”.

He recalled that the two men had met with the UN Secretary-General in New York and that he had made it very clear that it’s important that restraint is exercised, and that everything must be done to ensure the talks are successful”.

“We don’t want to see anything happen that would derail the talks. So far that hasn’t happened and we hope that that remains the case”, Downer said. “If these talks are successful then the new united federal Cypriot government will have responsibility for resources issues, that is, natural resources and water is the exact language used in a document”.

He added that that is something that has already been agreed and there is already a convergence between the two sides that in the event of an agreement, a solution to the Cyprus problem, once revenues start flowing, it will flow to the federal government.

“Both sides have a real incentive to make sure that they can…lots of incentives; this is not the only one, there are lots of incentives, including this, to make sure they can reach agreement on the Cyprus question, and I think it underlines a simple point, that the stability of the region will be very much enhanced by an agreement here in these negotiations”.
Replying to a question, Mr Downer said that Mr Christofias is aware of certain proposals Mr Eroglu made to the Secretary-General last week about the hydrocarbons and that the UN had received a paper from the Turkish Cypriot side on the issue.

“How the Greek Cypriots respond to this is a matter that I’ll leave to them”, he added. “If we were asked by the two sides to play a role, we’d refer that to the Secretary-General and the Secretary-General would make a decision about that. But that hasn’t happened yet”.


The Cyprus Mail reports that local politicians rounded up on UN and EU officials over comments reportedly questioning Cyprus’ sovereign right to explore and exploit its natural resources.

Drawing most of the fire was UN Special Adviser Alexander Downer for comments made on regarding a possible mediation role for the UN over the oil and gas dispute should both sides request it.

Also under the spotlight was EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule who said on Tuesday: “All problems need to be solved through peaceful means, if needed through arbitration from the International Court of Justice and threats of use of force need to be rejected”.

His statement was not well received by a number of media organisations and public figures.
House President Yiannakis Omirou said yesterday: “Downer’s statement on mediation exceeded the terms of his mandate, which relate solely to the direct negotiations. Not to issues of sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus.”

Opposition DISY leader Nicos Anastassiades said Downer’s statements were “unacceptable”. He advised the UN Special Adviser to “focus on the work within his mandate” and not try to raise doubts over UN resolutions which make absolutely clear that no one can dispute the sovereignty of a full member state of the UN, like Cyprus.

Asked to comment, government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou said Cyprus’ sovereign right to explore for natural gas was not the subject of negotiation. “It’s clear. It’s a sovereign right.”
He highlighted that Downer’s role as that of a facilitator, not mediator, calling on everyone to stick to their roles.

Speaking after a meeting with President Demetris Christofias yesterday at the presidential palace, Downer tried to set the record straight: “I have looked at what has been said by people in the media. I would say that doesn’t reflect what I said but I spoke in English so I am being generous in saying, if people wish to reinterpret what I say, perhaps it’s a linguistic breakdown and we are happy to get a translation done.”

The Australian diplomat also announced tentative dates for the tripartite meeting in New York next month as being October 30 and 31.

“Just to avoid any further speculations about this, one possibility is we might devote a couple of days to the talks,” he added.

Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu has presented new proposals to the UN as a way of solving the problem regarding Cyprus’ oil and gas explorations in the Mediterranean, Ankara Anatolia news agency reported.

Following a meeting with the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in New York last Saturday, Eroglu told reporters the proposals contained four topics as follows:

“1. suspend the oil and natural gas exploration simultaneously until a comprehensive solution is found to the Cyprus problem.2. If not, then set up an ad-hoc committee made up of representatives of both sides with authority to discuss issues such as explorations, agreements and licences depending on the written approval of both sides, and negotiate the ratio of sharing the richness which will be found.
3. use the income to finance the comprehensive talks.
4. Adoption of the plan shall not harm the positions of both sides.”
When asked whether the “TRNC could give authorization to explore oil and natural gas only for the north of the island after signing the agreement on the delineation of continental shelf with Turkey”, Eroglu said that the “Turkish Cypriots had rights on all underwater wealth around Cyprus island and so the TRNC had the right to give authorization both north and the south of the island”.When asked how this process would affect the Cyprus talks, Eroglu said that “the TRNC wants to pursue talks”. Eroglu then had a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu.

Christofias promises natural gas benefits to Turkish Cypriots

The Greek Cypriots are willing to share the benefits of any natural gas find with the Turkish Cypriots before a peace deal is reached, President Demetris Christofias said in his speech before the UN General Assembly on 22 September in New York.

“We believe that the possible discovery and extraction of hydrocarbons shall constitute yet another incentive for Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots to expedite a just, functional and viable solution to the Cyprus problem, so that both communities can enjoy the natural wealth of our country in conditions of peace, security and prosperity.
He said tensions between the two communities must be solved, but that gas revenues can still be mutually beneficial until then.

“I wish to reassure our Turkish Cypriot compatriots that regardless of the circumstances, they will benefit from the possible discovery and extraction of hydrocarbons”, he stressed.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaking before the UN General Assembly, called on the UN member states to exert active efforts to stop the activities of the Greek Cypriots which, he alleged, might cause tension not only on the island but in the entire region.

“Otherwise we will do whatever is necessary”, he threatened. Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris reports that Erdogan further said that a just, comprehensive and lasting solution should at last be reached to the problem which has been continuing for 50 years now. “The target is for the negotiations to reach a result by the end of this year and after the approval of the solution plan in a referendum in the beginning of next year, the new Cyprus to take its place in the European Union”, he said.

“We as Turkey will continue to provide any kind of support for reaching a solution the soonest within the framework of the above-mentioned timetable. However, in case the intransigent stance of the Greek Cypriot side does not allow this, I want to stress also that as guarantor country we will not allow for the future of the Turkish Cypriot people to be uncertain forever”.

He went on to say that Turkey cannot allow the Greek Cypriot side to act as if it is the only administration of the island or as if it has the authority to decide in the name of the Turkish Cypriots. “The attempt of the Greek Cypriot side to determine alone the areas of jurisdiction in the sea and explore for oil and natural gas in these areas, is an extremely irresponsible attitude from the point of view of its timing and possible consequences”, he said. Moreover, Ankara Anatolia news agency reports that Erdogan told UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon that "if the Greek Cypriots were to end their efforts for exploration of oil and natural gas, the Turkish side would take a step back".Erdogan asked Mr Ban Ki-moon to encourage the Greek Cypriots to end their efforts to explore for oil and natural gas in the Eastern Mediterranean and briefed him on the continental shelf delimitation agreement signed between Turkey and the TRNC on Wednesday.

Erdogan stressed that although Turkey supported a comprehensive solution in Cyprus, if the Greek Cypriots insisted on exploring for oil and natural gas, this would hurt the negotiations process.

Makarios Droushiotis writing in Politis today says that Christofias has a lousy sense of judgement, has no timing and is constantly running after events. Three examples –
- He is the only President of Cyprus who benefitted from the best coincidence of events in the history of the Cyprus problem for solving it in the first two years of his presidency. He had an interlocutor from the Left. He had the support of the opposition Democratic Rally. Turkey wanted a solution. About 70% of Greek Cypriots wanted a solution. He didn’t take advantage of any of these factors and now they have all disappeared.
- He refused to allow what he had agreed with Talat to be documented and announced and led Ban Ki-moon’s visit fail. Now he wishes he had them.
- The government thought Turkey would want a solution after the Turkish elections in June 2011 and rejected all openings. In the end the opposite was true. Turkey was ready for a solution before the elections and changed tack afterwards.

Makarios goes on to say that in his speech in New York, President Christofias admitted that when Talat was his interlocutor there were important convergences in crucial aspects of the Cyprus problem, such as government, economy, EU matters and other issues”. One of the members of the negotiating team, Toumazos Tsielepis was even clearer when he said in an interview that at the time half the chapters were ready for a final round of negotiations. “Frankly, now I really don’t know where we are”, he admitted.

So what we are hearing now from the horse’s mouth is that at the end of Talat’s term of office, in April 2010, the Cyprus problem was to a large extent solved. Then why didn’t the final round of negotiations take place before the end of Talat’s term, the writer wonders.

He goes on to speculate that had a solution been reached, the financial benefits from the natural gas finds would have been enormous. With political stability and good relations with Turkey, Cyprus would be on the energy map of Europe, being able to supply the continent with gas via Turkey. This would also be the best guarantee for our security and prosperity. So why have things gone so badly off track so that instead of stability we are now practically on the verge of war with Turkey?

It was no surprise that Talat was going to lose the elections when he did. In view of this opposition leader Nicos Anastasiades was calling for the time left to be made full use off. But Christofias refused even to consider this possibility and said he would continue the talks with whoever won the elections.

In view of the forthcoming elections the Turkish side on 4 January 2010 submitted a package of proposals accepting Christofias’ proposals for president, vice president, weighted vote. They accepted clearly that the state would be federal, would have a singe nondivisible sovereignty and would have a single national airspace, territorial waters as well as Exclusive Economic Zone. These were the most progressive positions the Turkish side had submitted in writing to date. The UN believed that this would be a breakthrough but Christofias reacted negatively. He put it to the party leaders and in the negative climate that the media had created, it was decided that this was a communications ploy on the part of Turkey. The government spokesman issued a statement saying the proposals were ‘unacceptable’ and were miles from what had been agreed as regards a bicommunal bizonal federation so could not be discussed.

Of course things were not really like that. An open discussion was held on the basis of this ‘unacceptable’ document at the intensive talks in January 2010 ending with an agreement on power sharing which this paper has long said existed but which the government is only now admitting.

With this agreement in mind, the UN S-G decided to visit Cyprus towards the end of January hoping to bind them to what had been agreed and push them to a final round on the property issue and a conference before April. The government and Akel then got going. They asked why is the S-G coming, what sort of a game is Downer playing, we’re not going to play this game, the President won’t agree to pretend progress just to create impressions, etc.

The ‘pretend progress’ was the considerable convergences on important aspects. Ban’s visit, under protest from the government, failed. Then in February, came Erdogan’s interviews to Greek Cypriot journalists in a clear effort to send a positive message so that the talks can finish before the elections. The Turkish side clearly warned that this was a window of opportunity which would not stay open for ever. The government thought these were more communication tricks. In April 2010 a final effort was made through Spain for holding a conference with EU participation. The government called this information the imaginary scribblings of journalists.

In the end what everyone was afraid of happened. Despite the impression that the Greek Cypriots have that Turkish Cypriot leaders are simply pawns for Turkey’s policies, the person sitting on the other side of the negotiating table is very important. As Tsielepis revealed in his interview, Talat would go to Turkey and persuade the Turkish government to make overtures. In contrast, Eroglu follows his own policy.

In view of the fact that Turkey’s EU entry is blocked and Turkey’s belief that Cyprus is being used to prevent them from joining, Erdogan has now changed his policy on Cyprus. According to Turkish political analysts, Erdogan is now preparing Turkish public opinion for the breakdown of the talks. From being a catalyst for a solution, Turkish policy on Cyprus is now becoming a catalyst for partition.

Drilling shouldn’t interfere with the talks

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has “encouraged” President Christofias to continue efforts to increase convergences on all chapters in the peace talks, reiterating his expectation that the sides will move the process forward, prior to the next tripartite meeting with both leaders at the end of October, a UN statement said.

President Demetris Christofias on Monday also discussed the issue of Turkish threats over Cyprus’ gas exploration at a meeting with the UN S-G who also pledged to raise the issue further.
“The position of the Cyprus Republic is clear”, Christofias told reporters. “We will continue. It is the sovereign right of the Cyprus Republic to explore and hopefully hydrocarbons will be found. Our Turkish Cypriot compatriots have nothing to lose, indeed they have much to gain, and this must be understood by Turkey and Mr Eroglu”.

Christofias yesterday also met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York where he thanked him for his ministry’s statement supporting Cyprus’ sovereign right to explore for gas. He said the Russian statement acted as a “shield for Cyprus” after which other countries followed suit.

Government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou yesterday hailed as “very important” the US State Department statement supporting Cyprus’ right to exploit its energy resources. He noted the US made it clear “they respect and recognise the right of Cyprus to explore and exploit its own natural wealth, a self-evident sovereign right”. Also, “they disassociate this right from the solution of the Cyprus problem” while also supporting the ongoing peace process.

On Monday US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. Speaking to the media afterwards, a State Department official said Clinton reiterated US support to the peace process in Cyprus, adding that the two also discussed issues regarding energy development and gas exploration.

“The United States supports Cyprus’ right to explore for energy. It doesn’t believe that should undermine or interfere with the talks and agrees with all of those who believe that the best way to sort out the question of energy and economic development is through a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem,” the US official said.

Asked whether Clinton made that view clear to Davutoglu, the spokesman said that she was clear on how the United States sees the situation.

President Obama was due to meet Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan late last night and drilling for hydrocarbons in the region was believed to have been on the agenda.

Meanwhile Turkish daily Sabah reported that Turkey will begin drilling for oil and gas after Cyprus starts drilling and Turkey’s national security council will discuss the energy potential of the area in next month’s meeting.

The paper reported that in 2010 the Turkish army’s General Staff asked academics and legal maritime experts whether they thought it was worth going to war over the energy reserves of the eastern Mediterranean. The answer reportedly was ‘yes’.

Citing possession of a government document, Sabah said the Turkish government estimates there are around 15 trillion cubic metres of gas in waters between Egypt, Cyprus and Crete worth around $7 trillion.

According to the document, if Turkey fails to “hinder” drilling in Cyprus’ Block 12, this would lead to an international race for explorations in Cyprus’ remaining unlicenced blocks in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The document described the situation as “serious”, noting, “from this point onward we are headed full speed to a breaking point which will test Turkey’s decisiveness”.

Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz yesterday repeated Turkey’s threat to sign a continental shelf agreement with the north of Cyprus and proceed with seismic surveys in the area. He argued that the start of drilling in Cyprus’ EEZ was a provocation, violating international law and the rights of the breakaway state.

Senior member of the Greek Cypriot negotiating team in the peace talks, Toumazos Tselepis, yesterday commented on the possible signing of a pact between Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots, saying: “from an international law point of view, (the pact) will be worth as much as the paper it is written on.”

On Monday, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said explorations could start off northern Cyprus within the week.

“Of course our steps will be supported by our military air force and navy. This is not a bluff,” Turkey’s deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said yesterday.

Solution unlikely

Turkey has begun implementing its plan B for Cyprus problem whereby the occupied north of Cyprus will become incorporated into Turkey.

Makarios Droushiotis writing in Politis today says that Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan has made it clear to the UN team working on the Cyprus problem that the end of the year will mark the end of the road for the talks. As the UN understands it, Ankara does not believe there will be a solution and blames the Greek Cypriot side for wasting time until the EU presidency, and making the natural gas drilling its priority instead.

However, the UN also sees an unwillingness for a solution on the Turkish Cypriot side whose priority has become trying to put the blame on the Greek Cypriot side in order to pave the way for upgrading the north. Turkey’s hardening stance has already become evident through his tough talk (Erdogan’s visit to the north in July and current war mongering over the natural gas drilling), something that has been absent since 2002 when the AKP came to power.

The Turkish Prime Minister, “drunk” from a 50% victory at the polls and from his popularity among the Muslims of the Middle East, believes that the EU tricked Turkey and has turned towards the East. The EU entry negotiations had been Turkey’s main motivator in its change of policy towards Cyprus in 2002. The fact that they have been frozen and that Turkey’s EU prospects have diminished due to France and Germany’s reservations, has made Turkey turn to the East and Cyprus will be the first victim.

It seems that perhaps for the first time since this latest round of talks started, the UN have finally realized that a solution to the Cyprus problem on the basis of a single federal state with two ethnic regions is unlikely, if not impossible. Even though the “intense” negotiations are still continuing, no one believes they will get anywhere. While the UN would like a solution to be reached by the end of the year, there is nothing to indicate on the level of society, that this might be possible. On the contrary, relations between the two communities are cold. The UN team’s plan of action continues to be to push the two sides towards an agreed solution. The three-way meeting in New York continues to be a major landmark. By discussing all the chapters in “intense” talks following a prepared agenda, it will give the two sides a last chance to exhaust all aspects and achieve as many convergences as possible.

In New York the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is also expected to state the obvious truth that bilateral negotiations without a deadline and arbitration borders on the ridiculous, that a solution is possible and that all that is needed is the political will. He will ask them to discuss his document with him, otherwise he will give up his good-offices mission and given his verdict for the failure in a report to the Security Council. As none of the sides wants to be blamed for the failure of the talks, the UN believes that they will both agree, thereby paving the way for convening an international conference.

Nevertheless it’s not enough to force the two leaders to accept a document without them wanting a solution that will lead to reconciliation rather than a shotgun wedding. As former UN Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim used to say, “you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink”.

It’s true that Dervis Eroglu is not desperate for a solution and Christofias has shown he is afraid of his shadow and all he is doing is managing the Cyprus problem without following a specific policy. What’s more he is at his weakest since becoming president. With his political status in tatters and the majority of public opinion doubting his leadership and negotiating abilities, Christofias is in no position to sign a solution and persuade the people to accept it. He is therefore focusing on the blame game, and “Turkish intransigence” as the ultimate strategy. In reality Christofias’ weakness is giving the Turkish side a big advantage to win the blame game. The war mongering over the natural gas has given him some breathing space and at the very least will let him off the hook for the collapse of the talks internally despite the fact that the price would be that it would bring an end to the talks without any prospects of starting them again.

It seems that Turkey has realised that threats of war are not to its benefit and has changed tack, with the Turkish Vice President saying that “Turkey will act with prudence and will not give the satisfaction to those who want tension and crisis”. He repeated that Turkey’s tactic on the Cyprus problem is “one step forward”. Christofias’ weakness allows Turkey to make many steps forward.

Talks on property end

The leaders of the two communities in Cyprus, Demitris Christofias and Dervis Eroglu, yesterday ended their discussion on property in an effor to build core convergences in that chapter, as UN Special Adviser Alexander Downer said.

Downer said that both leaders come to the table with new proposals at every meeting, something which the UN encourages.

“I hope they will continue to do that and when we get to October we will have a look at some of these issues again. But in the meantime, we are going through this process chapter by chapter,” he said.

The talks will cover citizenship and immigration issues next Monday and Wednesday, while Friday’s meeting will focus on the economy.

Downer also briefed the leaders on the one and a half hour discussion he had on Wednesday night with the UN Security Council (UNSC) via video link.

“I made it very clear to the Security Council that, I make no predictions about what will happen, but an agreement on reunifying Cyprus is possible, it is certainly within the grasp of the leaders,” he said.

“But to achieve it requires a lot of courage and a lot of determination, but it is possible,” he stressed and praised the commitment of the leaders and their engagement to the “tough aspects” of the problem.

However, he noted that time was an issue, and the two leaders had two choices, either to solve the problem now or miss what may be the best chance to do so.

The Australian diplomat said all 15 members of the UNSC spoke during the teleconference and showed great interest in the Cyprus issue, with some asking “very well informed and focused questions”. He said they were very supportive of the process and that there was a strong view that after 37 years the issue must finally be resolved through a successful reunification of Cyprus consistent with Security Council resolutions.

“People shouldn’t underestimate the importance of the strong support of the Security Council for the successful conclusions of these negotiations. I hope everybody understands that,” he said referring to other important issues in the region preoccupying the world’s top diplomatic body, like Libya.

The UN diplomat said “quite a few” UNSC members raised questions and made statements in relation to natural gas exploration but refused to go into what was said.

Asked by the Russian representative why no reference was made in the UN chief's report to remarks by the Turkish Prime Minister during his visit to the occupied north in July, Downer reportedly replied that Turkey does not participate in the talks, adding that all those involved should take a constructive approach.

The Cyprus Mail quotes the Cyprus News Agency as saying that the US representative pointed out that the report calls on the sides to approach the talks constructively and avoid “blame games”, while the French representative said the Turkish Cypriots do not appear to be making any substantive concessions on crucial issues.

Regarding Turkish threats against Cyprus exploring for deposits in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the German representative said it was the sovereign right of every member state to delineate its EEZ and carry out explorations within the zone, while the British representative said Cyprus’ explorations were in line with international law but supported that statements should be made to reassure Turkey.

The European Commission yesterday issued its strongest rebuke yet to Turkey over its threatening behaviour towards Cyprus’ efforts to drill for hydrocarbon reserves within its own Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the Cyprus Mail reports.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan continued to raise the stakes in his row with Israel and Cyprus, vowing yesterday to stop them from exploiting natural resources in the area while also pledging to send warships to escort aid to Gaza.

The EU, through Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule yesterday “urged Turkey to refrain from any kind of threat, sources of friction or action, which could negatively affect good neighbourly relations and the peaceful settlement of border disputes”.

In a released statement, Fule said, “The Commission regrets any statements that are not conducive to this objective,” noting that it “regularly reiterates these issues in its discussions with Turkey and will continue to monitor Turkey’s commitments to good neighbourly relations in the light of the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes”.

The Commission further highlighted the importance of progress in the normalisation of relations between Turkey and Cyprus and “stressed all the sovereign rights of EU member states which include entering into bilateral agreements, in accordance with the EU acquis and international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea”.

The Commission underlined the “urgent need” to reach a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue.

“Ahead of the crucial phase of Cyprus talks this autumn, it is essential that all parties concerned exert restraint and do their utmost to ensure a positive climate that will facilitate a successful completion of the process,” Fule’s statement said..

According to the Cyprus Mail, tensions in the eastern Mediterranean are growing by the day as top Turkish officials continue to make cutting comments on Turkey’s plans to beef up navy patrols in the region and secure free navigation of the seas, following its spat with Israel over nine activists killed in international waters last year. Apart from Turkish demands for an Israeli apology, compensation for the families of the dead and free passage to Gaza, the combative tone of the Turkish leadership is also viewed by some analysts as a response to Israel and Cyprus’ plans to explore for oil and gas in their respective EEZs.

According to Reuters, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan went a step further yesterday in an interview with Al Jazeera saying Turkish warships will escort any Turkish aid vessels to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, preventing Israel from attacking them again.
Erdogan also said that Turkey had taken steps to stop Israel from unilaterally exploiting natural resources from the eastern Mediterranean.

“Turkey, as a guarantor of the Turkish republic of north Cyprus, has taken steps in the area, and it will be decisive and holding fast to the right to monitor international waters in the east Mediterranean,” he warned.

Deploying warships to escort aid vessels to Gaza and direct interference in the exploitation of Israel and Cyprus’ natural resources are the boldest statements yet to come from the outspoken Turkish leader.

Former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat was quoted in theTurkish Cypriot press yesterday criticising President Demetris Christofias for being “insanely brave” in daring to explore the island’s natural resources before a Cyprus solution.

Government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou said yesterday: “Turkey needs to get the message that all states should act within the framework of international law because this safeguards peace and good relations between neighbouring states. Unfortunately Turkey opts to provoke and opts for tension.”

In an interview with Voice of America, Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou Marcoullis called on Turkey to act like a European country and conduct its foreign policy based on the UN Charter and European principles and laws.

Head of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KEVE) Manthos Mavromatis yesterday said the American company was ready to begin drilling despite the threat. Noble presented its plans at a closed gathering on Wednesday organised by KEVE and the Cyprus-American Business Association, in the presence of US Embassy officials.

According to Mavromatis, Noble plans to move the oil rig to Block 12 for drilling after September 20. He noted that Noble is taking into consideration the threats but is proceeding normally, in coordination with the US State Department and Embassy here.