GREEK CYPRUS TO PROBE FIRST BORE AS TURKEY LOOKS TO QUICKLY RECIPROCATE
Today’s Zaman
Sept 19 2011
Turkey
Turkey insists it will continue with its plans to drill in the eastern
Mediterranean in reciprocation of Greek Cypriot drilling activities,
although the European Commission advised both sides on Monday to
“reach a comprehensive settlement” and “exercise restraint,” in a
battle over hydrocarbon resources off the coast of Cyprus.
Turkey could begin offshore oil and gas exploration operations in
agreement with Turkish Cyprus following similar moves by Greek Cyprus,
Israel and Greece, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday
amid an escalating dispute over rights to hydrocarbon reserves in
the Eastern Mediterranean.
“Currently, we also took this step with Turkish Cyprus. And in a very
short time, possibly this week, it may happen we will start work
in this exclusive economic region,” Erdogan told a news conference
before leaving on a visit to the United States.
Turkey disputed an agreement signed last year by Greek Cyprus and
Israel over an exclusive economic zone that set maritime borders and
rights to explore natural resources.
Erdogan said the Turkish military would monitor activity in the area
using aircraft, a frigate and torpedo boats. Turkey backs a Turkish
Cypriot state in northern Cyprus and says any natural resources found
offshore should belong to both communities.
Turkey’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yıldız also
proposed earlier on Monday that Turkey could reciprocate Greek Cypriot
drilling for hydrocarbon resources in the eastern Mediterranean within
a week, pushing ahead with its own drilling arrangements.
He indicated that tension in the area may escalate, and acknowledged
the possibility that Turkish warships may enter the disputed waters.
Despite Turkey’s warnings to immediately halt drilling in the eastern
Mediterranean, Greek Cyprus began drilling its first bore on Monday,
a move which seems certain to take the debate to a completely new
level in the coming days.
“This exclusive economic zone is disputed and we have told them that
it is not right for them to take such a step in this area,” Erdogan
told reporters.
Yıldız reiterated on Monday that Turkey was preparing to drill in
the waters that lie between the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
(KKTC) and Turkey’s southern coast, under an agreement which delineates
the continental shelf to allow seabed exploration for both countries.
Yıldız added on that the Turkish navy will “obviously escort the
research ship,” according to an AP report on Monday, but officials
from the Turkish Foreign Ministry refrained from commenting on the
inclusion of military force among Turkey’s moves to counter the Greek
Cypriot decision.
Turkish diplomats instead said that Turkey was in contact with the
Greek Cypriots, seeking an end to their research activities before a
resolution can be reached in the island’s reunification talks. They
also noted that Turkey was not seeking to increase tension in the
region, but would do whatever is necessary to stop the drilling of
seabed wealth Turkey considers mutually owned by both communities.
The Turkish and Greek sides of the island have been engaged in
reconciliation talks under the auspices of the UN which might unite
the island once and for all, and bring about an end to territorial
disputes. Officials from both sides have been engaged in intensified
talks for months, trying to reach agreement on core issues before
October, so that the UN, through the aegis of UN General-Secretary
Ban Ki-moon, can further assist the possible reunification.
However, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Saturday
that he regards Greek Cypriot aspirations to begin drilling as early
as the end of September a “provocation.” Turkish media also quoted the
minister as saying that if Greek Cyprus goes ahead with its projected
plan, that would indicate that Turkish Cyprus could do the same in
their share of the Mediterranean.
“We will not allow anyone to use the Mediterranean as their own
backyard,” Davutoglu was quoted as saying on Saturday, reflecting a
familiar Turkish criticism of the Greek Cypriots, who Turkey accuses
of acting as the sole owners of a bi-communal island.
Hinting that Greek Cyprus would not be deterred by Turkish warnings,
Greek Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias on Sunday repeated that
his country would start drilling soon. “We will continue to exercise
our evident sovereign rights, which include exploiting natural
resources, always within the parameters of international law … the
exploratory drilling is expected to start within the next few days,”
Christofias was quoted as saying at a London meeting by Reuters
on Sunday.
It was also reported in international media over the weekend that
a Greek Cypriot drilling platform, owned by US-based Noble Energy,
was already placed over the zone Greek Cyprus unilaterally regards
as its exclusive economic territory by the, a move which signals that
the Greek Cypriots might resort to rushing the drilling.
On Saturday, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister for Cypriot Affairs BeÅ~_ir
Atalay also upgraded the scope of the dispute to an international
level, repeating Turkey’s stance toward Greek Cyprus’ 2012 rotating
EU presidency by saying Turkey would freeze relations with the EU if
this comes to pass.
“If the peace negotiations there [Cyprus] are not conclusive, and the
EU gives its rotating presidency to southern Cyprus, the real crisis
will be between Turkey and the EU,” Anatolia news agency quoted Atalay
as saying on Saturday, as he warned that the EU risked a sudden halt
in relations with Turkey.
Erdogan voiced a similar threat months ago, to point out the impending
crisis should the deadlock regarding Cyprus issue not get resolved
before Greek Cyprus assumes the EU presidency.
The EU, meanwhile, reportedly urged Turkey not to interfere with
Greek Cypriot pursuits in the zone, as the country vowed to block
Turkey’s accession talks with the EU if it hindered its financial
gains in the region.
To look at the Cyprus drilling situation from a geological perspective,
a professor from Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Dogan Perincek,
told Today’s Zaman on Monday that the drilling has been a cause of
heated debate for years and promises to drag under current conditions.
“Unless the KKTC markets exploration and excavation licenses in
the international arena, Greek Cypriot moves to drill will not be
reciprocated,” Perincek said of Turkish attempts to match the Greeks,
with the goal of freezing the drilling. Perincek noted that such
resources are vital in international markets and international buyers
would strengthen both Turkey’s and KKTC’s bid in the issue.
“Instead of resting the responsibility for the drilling on the Turkish
Petroleum Corporation (TPAO), Turkey could have given the KKTC leeway
to handle the process by seeking buyers in international markets,”
he suggested. Perincek says international markets are the place where
such financial moves could be better reciprocated.
Cyprus has been divided into Turkish and Greek sides since 1974, when
Turkey launched a military intervention on the island to prevent an
Athens-backed coup from uniting it with Greece. Although Greek side
considered the intervention an occupation on part of the Turks, the
Turkish side says the military operation saved lives and restored
the rights of the island’s Turkish community, who currently reside
on the northern third of the island.