Ankara objects to Cyprus natural gas drilling plans

The US has supported Cyprus over gas-drilling plans, Turkish daily Hurriyet says, following reports that Turkey has urged Washington to put off the plans to drill for natural gas off the coast of Cyprus by US firm Noble Energy.

According to a Turkish official, Ankara told Washington “not to sacrifice the political reunification process of Cyprus for the sake of business”.

"We told U.S. officials that the unilateral oil and natural gas exploration activities by the Greek Cypriots were against international law and could lead to the end of the ongoing negotiation process for the reunification Cyprus”, he said.

Turkey has already conveyed its reservations to the U.S. Embassy in Ankara and to the U.S. State Department in Washington and will bring the issue to the attention of higher-level U.S. officials, he said, as well as to the UN Security Council.Ankara claims that Greek Cyprus’ agreements with Israel, Lebanon and Egypt in the eastern Mediterranean region, are invalid because they did not first get the approval of the Turkish Cypriots.

The Greek side is acting unilaterally as if they were the sole owner of the island”, the official said. Ankara also objects to the continental shelf delineation that Cyprus determined in its agreement with Egypt in 2003, saying “islands cannot be considered as if they were part of the mainland” while determining economic zones in territorial waters.

The paper says that the State Department told the paper that it is aware of Turkey’s position on the issue, and reiterated its commitment “to support strongly the efforts of both Cypriot parties to reunify the island into a bizonal, bicommunal federation”. However, the U.S. administration underscored that it views the plans in terms of “securing energy supplies through better energy diversity” and that “is something that the United States strongly supports for all countries”.The U.S. perceives the Greek Cypriot drilling plans, which could reportedly “sustain the energy needs of Europe for the next 100 years”, in terms of an alternative energy source for its European allies to help gain energy independence, despite fierce Turkish objections.”

Following the harsh statements coming from the Turkish administration, and at a time when Ankara is growing increasingly confident in asserting its own foreign policy terms, one that appears to be closely aligned with Washington, the gas-drilling project appears to have the potential to pose some challenges in the relations between the two countries, over and above its already jittery relations with Nicosia, the paper concludes.

Turkish Cypriot daily Bakis reports that rumour has it that the occupied fenced city of Varosha is about to be returned to the Greek Cypriots and that secret bargaining is being held on this issue. Citing a reliable source, the paper says that intensive bargaining is taking place regarding Varosha and all will soon be revealed.

Referring to reports in the Greek Cypriot press that a Camp David type conference will be held in New York, the paper says the Turkish side will use Varosha to corner the Greek side. The source noted that in return for the opening of Varosha, Tymvou airport and Famagusta port will also be opened to international flights and trade under EU or UN administration. It also said that the withdrawal of the lawsuits of the Greek Cypriots at the European Court of Human Rights against Turkey regarding Varosha is on the agenda, but no definite agreement exists on this issue.

The Turkish side is submitting reasonable proposals at the negotiating table, proposals which are peaceful, realistic and provide for a viable solution, Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu has said.

Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris reports that in statements at a ceremony on the occasion of the celebrations for the 37th anniversary since the occupation of Famagusta, Eroglu said that the Greek Cypriots do not accept the geographic realities of Cyprus and want to dilute and eliminate bizonality.

He said they want to “drag to different directions” the constructive proposals of the Turkish side on property and territory, and do not accept Turkey’s active and effective guarantees. Eroglu argued that “if we try to solve the issues with the mentality of the Greek Cypriot side, we will force the Turkish Cypriot people to scatter, or be dominated by the Greek Cypriots, so they will remain without property and migrate”. He said that they will not abandon bizonality, or the right to administer themselves and Turkey’s active and effective guarantees. “By asking for these things we are not harming the Greek Cypriot people”, he said adding that bizonality will prevent possible conflict in the future and nor does Turkey’s active and effective guarantees pose a threat for the Greek Cypriots. Eroglu accused the Greek Cypriot side of preventing a solution by trying to use the EU in order to bring Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots to their knees.

Furthermore, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris reports that speaking elsewhere Eroglu said that there is no aspect of the Cyprus problem that has not been discussed at the negotiations and added that the negotiations should be intensified and a deal achieved.

“Let us either agree or let the road of the Turkish Cypriot people not be blocked any more. The Turkish Cypriots should not be forced to pay the price for the fact that an agreement could not be signed”.

Eroglu claimed that the Greek Cypriot side has not yet understood that the Turkish Cypriot side cannot water down bizonality, that two states and two peoples exist in Cyprus and that a partnership state could be established only with the above as starting points.

A rise in the number of applications received by the Immovable Property Commission established by Turkey for the occupied Greek Cypriot properties has been observed since March 2010, and as a result the system is working too slowly and should be speeded up, Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris reports.

The paper says that most applications concern properties in Kyrenia and northern Nicosia. So far the IPC has received a total of 1601 applications, of which 179 settlements were reached amicably, while another seven cases were concluded in court. The IPC has paid out a total of £58.231.440 sterling in compensation, has returned one property, given exchange and compensation in two applications and return and compensation in a further five applications. The IPC has decided to return and compensation property after the solution of the Cyprus problem for one application and the partial return of property for yet another application.

According to Asim Akansoy, the general secretary of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) has expressed the view that not only are the people of Cyprus fed up with the Cyprus problem, but so is the international community.

He pointed out that the negotiations started in 1968 and are still going on and this is not an acceptable situation reports Turkish Cypriot daily Bakis.

Akansoy said neither side will be fully satisfied with the outcome of the talks because both sides are negotiating for their ideal.

Referring to a recent statement made by Democratic Rally leader Nikos Anastasiades, Akansoy said that thinking that the TRNC will be recognized if the negotiations fail is a big mistake. “There is no such possibility. Therefore, we have to evaluate well the developments”, he said adding that they should continue the dialogue for reaching a model that will be protecting the interests of the Turkish Cypriots. He said the Cyprus problem is going through a crucial turning point and added that the Turkish Cypriot side should evaluate this process well.

Akansoy argued that after the Mari tragedy it is difficult to foresee what steps will be taken by a leader who faces so many problems and is so weakened.