NICOSIA and Athens are playing catch-up to an all-out PR and diplomatic offensive launched by Ankara, asserting its right to foray into Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone.
The Greek government was yesterday reportedly considering issuing a demarche to Turkey in protest over comments made by the Vice-President of the Turkish government Bülent Arinç.
Arinc claimed that Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou told his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during a phone conversation a few days ago, that Turkey has the right to conduct hydrocarbon exploration within Cyprus’ EEZ.
According to Arinc, Erdogan told Papandreou that Turkey would continue exploring in the area, if need be under the protection of its navy and air force. Papandreou responded: “You are right. If they [Greek Cypriots] are doing it, you can do it as well, but tensions should be avoided.”
Arinc further claimed that Papandreou views as “reasonable” a Turkish Cypriot proposal – submitted to the UN last week – for a simultaneous halting of gas exploration while a joint committee is set up to decide how gas proceeds should be divided among the island’s two communities.
Greek media said Papandreou was “outraged” with the disinformation disseminated by Arinc. The Greek Prime Minister was said to be planning to lodge a protest to Ankara.
President Demetris Christofias asserted yesterday that Cyprus would press ahead with undersea exploration, which he said was the nation’s sovereign right, separate from peace talks aimed at reunifying the island.
Christofias told an AKEL gathering last night that Cyprus would not remain a “hostage” of Turkey’s unwillingness to work toward a political solution.
Meanwhile the US State Department yesterday sought to clarify statements made earlier by its spokesman Victoria Nuland. Responding to a Turkish reporter’s question, Nuland said Wednesday that the US was “interested” in a proposal for UN mediation of revenue-sharing.
“Overall, though, we would like to see a de-escalation of rhetoric and tension so that the UN process can move forward in a good environment,” Nuland added.
“I would note that there has recently been a request for the UN to engage in some sort of mediation on a revenue-sharing agreement for natural gas developed off of Cyprus, and we understand that the UN is considering that request, and we would consider that it would be quite constructive if the two communities could begin to work on deescalating tensions in a way similar to that,” said Nuland.
But in an apparent bid to dispel the notion that Washington directly endorses the Turkish Cypriot proposal for revenue -sharing – which may be construed as questioning the Republic’s sovereignty – the US State Department yesterday told newsmen that US policy toward Cyprus’ exploration rights remains unchanged.
Nuland’s comments on Wednesday followed the outcry against UN Special Adviser Alexander Downer, who told reporters here that the UN was open to a possible mediation role over the oil and gas dispute, but only if both sides request it.
The Turkish moves come after President Christofias told world leaders that Turkish Cypriots would share in the wealth from any gas finds regardless of a political settlement.
Christofias’ overture seems to have opened up a diplomatic can of worms, with Turkey interpreting his offer as reinforcing Turkish claims that the two communities have an equal stake in the island’s natural riches.
Over the past few days Turkish media have been publishing maps of the eastern Mediterranean carving up the area into ‘blocks’ for undersea exploration by Turkey.
One of the ‘blocks’, named ‘Block G’ partly overlaps Cyprus’ Aphrodite field, where Noble Energy is currently conducting exploratory drilling. The remaining Turkish ‘blocks’ cover the area north, west, east and south of the island, where some of these ‘blocks’ overlap with the Republic’s EEZ.
Erdogan yesterday reiterated calls for a halt to hydrocarbon explorations until a settlement to the Cyprus problem is reached.
He accused Greek Cypriots of “behaving like the sole administration on the island since 2003,” and vowed that Turkey, as a guarantor power, would act to protect the rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriots.
He said Ankara has asked both the US and the UN to “dissuade” Greek Cypriots exploiting natural resources.
Turkey’s Energy Minister Taner Yildiz described as “illegal” Greek Cypriots’ gas exploration south of the island, warning that if Greek Cypriots continued their activities, so would Turkey.
“Turkey is a powerful country. It is not going to remain an onlooker in the face of this illegality,” said Yildiz.
A Turkish seismic ship which has entered Cyprus’ EEZ continued its research yesterday. The Turkish Foreign Ministry was quoted as saying that Turkish frigates “are not directly escorting the research vessel but are sailing in the region, ready to intervene if the Piri Reis is harassed,” an official said. “We already had some armed ships in the region…what we are doing now [since the Greek Cypriots began drilling] is increasing their visibility.”
