WELL-KNOWN businessman Photos Photiades yesterday urged the government to use Cyprus’ “proven, colossal reserves of crude oil and natural gas” as a means for securing a just and lasting settlement of the Cyprus problem.
Speaking at his office in Nicosia, Photiades said that the oil and gas reserves constituted the “hardest currency of all time” and their correct use could be of great benefit to the national cause. He suggested that the government approached “our EU partners and offered them joint exploitation of our reserves.”
There were “friendly member states in the EU that would be prepared to co-operate with us and with an inter-state agreement of a number of EU member-states, as a consortium, we would have joint exploitation of our oil reserves,” he said.
“In exchange we would demand the support of the EU for a just and viable solution of the Cyprus problem that would last in time,” he said and explained: “All we want is the implementation of the three basic freedoms – movement, settlement and ownership. The same, well-known system enjoyed by all Europeans and which ensures peace and security.”
He is certain EU member-states would take up such an offer. “Why would they turn down a fellow member-state, especially when we offer them joint exploitation of our natural wealth?”
Turkey would not be able to object to such an arrangement. “In such a case, how could Turkey or anyone else argue and persuade anyone that the European acquis that unites 500 million Europeans and offers them full peace and security could not satisfy 100,000 Turkish Cypriots?”
Photiades said he had written to President Demetris Christofias with the suggestion last year but has yet to receive a response. However he received a response from the French government after writing to President Nicolas Sarkozy, “one of Cyprus sincerest friends”.
He was contacted by the French ambassador in Cyprus with whom he discussed his idea, but was told that France could not do anything unless formally contacted by the Cyprus government.
The current situation, in which the Greek Cypriots were continuously making concessions without the chasm between the two sides becoming smaller could not be allowed to continue said Photiades. This was why he was certain the “business language” he was proposing “would speak and could open new optimistic prospects for a just and lasting solution to our problem”.
