TURKEY HAS sent its ageing seismic research vessel Piri Reis near the Aphrodite field south of Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) where drilling has already begun.
In a clear effort to up the ante in an already tense eastern Mediterranean, Turkish officials yesterday continued to warn Cyprus against drilling in Block 12, where Texas-based Noble Energy began exploratory drilling last week.
“If the Greek Cypriots agree to stop, we’ll stop too. But if they insist on proceeding, they know very well Turkey’s attitude,” Turkey’s minister for European Affairs, Egemen Bagis said yesterday during a visit to the occupied north.
“We have to warn against Greek Cypriot provocation. The resources are not going anywhere, so why are they being used to block [peace] negotiations?” he added.
Last Friday, Turkey dispatched its only research vessel, the Piri Reis, to the eastern Mediterranean. Yesterday, there were mixed and unconfirmed reports as to its exact whereabouts, with some suggesting it was near or even in the southern-most tip of Cyprus’ EEZ, Block 12, which neighbours Israel’s own energy-rich gas fields. Reuters cited Greek Cypriot sources saying the Turkish vessel was about 80km from where Noble is drilling.
“Piri Reis, escorted by warships, has started research in the same area where Greek Cypriots are exploring,” Omer Celik, Vice Chairman of Turkey’s ruling AK Party who oversees foreign affairs, said on Twitter.
“We have shown clearly to everyone that we will not allow the eastern Mediterranean to become a Greek Cyprus-Israel goal,” Celik was quoted by Reuters saying in another message.
Turkish daily Hurriyet ran with this headline yesterday: ‘Piri Reis in Aphrodite field’ while Turkish Cypriot daily Haberdar reported that the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) started geophysical exploration and gathering seismic data south of Cyprus, very close to where drilling is underway, on Monday.
Other Turkish press reports quoted the captain of the Piri Reis saying research began on Monday to cover an area reaching 1,000km, with 150km already covered. The captain said the vessel was accompanied by Turkish frigates while “Turkish aircraft also pass overhead from time to time”.
Turkey’s navy has made no announcement regarding the deployment of warships in the area. A diplomatic source told the newswire that it was their “understanding that the survey boat is unaccompanied”.
Speaking to Euronews, Turkey’s deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said he hoped Cyprus’ “reckless behaviour… will not put Turkey in a situation to use force”.
He also repeated Turkey’s threat to cut ties with the EU should Cyprus take over the Presidency of the EU Council in July 2012 without a solution.
During a speech to mark the delivery of a Turkish frigate, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan was quoted saying: “Our country’s interests in the seas start from the Suez Canal and spread to the Indian Ocean.”
“We are determined to take security measures to protect not only our commercial interests, but our interests in the natural resources of our seas,” he said, adding, “We know that we are a big and strong country. And we define our policy based on our size and strength.”
Government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou’s responded: “The Cyprus Republic cannot be held hostage to the illegal actions of Turkey, which continues to occupy (Cyprus) and violate its territorial integrity and the human rights of both Greek and Turkish Cypriots.”
Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis yesterday questioned the Piri Reis ship’s capability to conduct research, noting that the vessel was nearly 40 years old. “Research has not started for sure,” she said.
If the vessel had the appropriate equipment for research then the Turkish government would not have concluded an agreement with foreign companies (French and Norwegian) to conduct seismic research, added Marcoullis.
The minister said the Cyprus government was following the movements of the Piri Reis and other research vessels as well as that of the Turkish fleet, and making the necessary representations to the international community.
Regarding Turkey’s announcement that it has signed a continental shelf agreement with the breakaway state in the north, she said: “We are taking all necessary measures so that the provisions of this agreement are not implemented.”
Commerce Minister Praxoulla Antoniadou said yesterday that drilling was going ahead “smoothly”.
Asked whether the second round of bidding for licences in the remaining blocks will take place in 2011, Antoniadou said the matter is being discussed and that “we intend to have the second bidding phase take place the soonest”.
Responding to a question on Turkish threats against Cyprus by DISY MEP Eleni Theocharous in the European Parliament yesterday, Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule said the commission follows events in the region very closely, adding that it views a solution to the Cyprus problem a priority.
“We also made it absolutely clear that it is Cyprus’ right to delimit its EEZ and to conclude treaties with third countries if they are in accordance with the acquis and international treaties,” he added.
He noted the European Commission has taken a number of steps to calm the situation, adding: “Because of that we have not seen some of the threats coming from Turkey being actually delivered.”
Fule expressed the view that “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”.
During a European Parliament debate last night, Fule acknowledged that the EU would always get involved when a bilateral disagreement is approached on the basis of “threats which violate the UN Charter”.
He further drove home the point that the Commission wanted to see a solution on the island which would bring peace, stability and security within the EU, and in its neighbourhood, and “in one of most troubled regions in the world” as well as have a positive effect on relations between the EU and Turkey.
