ATHENS NEWS FRIDA Y 12 AUGUS T 2011 12-13 Image of the week R e u t e r s Sweet revenge Spanish matador Ivan Fandino is pushed to the ground by a bull during a bullfight at the Begona Festival in Gijon, Spain Turkey steps up pressure on Cyprus TURKEY will effect the “necessary responses” if the Republic of Cyprus makes any attempt to undertake exploration missions for large offshore gas deposits in Cypriot territorial waters, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on August 5. US-based energy company Nobel Energy plans to start explorations in October for useable gas in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), known as Block 12, southeast of the island. Speaking to reporters, Davutoglu said “no one has the right to do anything over the island’s natural resources ... before the Cyprus issue is resolved”. Cyprus Foreign Minister Erato Markoulli said on August 8 that Nicosia had lodged a complaint with the United Nations and the European Union over Ankara’s threats and warned that Turkey was jeopardising its European aspirations. The Mediterranean island has been divided since 1974 as a consequence of a Turkish military invasion. In 2004 Cyprus joined the European Union and is due to assume the rotating EU presidency in July 2012. Turkey does not formally recogn ise the Republic of Cyprus and, t herefore, has claimed it cannot recognise Nicosia’s EU presidency. On July 9 Ankara threatened “to freeze” relations with the EU if no resolution to the Cyprus question is reached before July 2012. Cyprus President Dimitris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu are participating in intensive, UN-sponsored talks to reach a solution before October. Davutoglu said “there must be an administration representing both parts of the island” before the exploration of Block 12 can begin. Cypriot officials have estimated there could be up to 483 billion cubic metres of useable gas in the block. The speculation that there may be vast amounts of natural gas in Cypriot territorial waters has sparked the latest episode on an increasingly intense and transformative Eastern Mediterranean geopolitical stage. In June 2010 Nobel Energy discovered 453bn cubic metres of useable gas in the Leviathan gas fields, situated in disputed waters between Israel and Lebanon and only 34km from Block 12. The findings came at a time of rapprochement in Israeli-Greek relations, in contrast to a decline in Turkish-Israeli relations. Local pundits claim that, as the EU aims to diversify its energy supplies away from the Russian Gazprom monopoly, the significance of potentially useable gas in Cyprus and Israel has added pressure on the already weakened government of Cyprus to accept a resolution to the almost four-decade long partition of the island. Furthermo re, the planned Nabucco pipeline - which is intended to carry gas from the Caspian Sea to Austria via Turkey- has not materialised because of concerns about the origin of the gas, the security of the pipeline and the ambitious nature of the project itself. Therefore, Europe could benefit from Eastern Mediterranean energy resources. Yet, without a solution to the Cyprus conundrum, the geopolitical hostilities in the basin will certainly intensify. Constantine Callaghan Local pundits claim that the significance of potentially useable gas in Cyprus and Israel has added pressure on the already weakened government of Cyprus to accept a resolution to the almost four- decade long partition of the island R e u t e r s

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ATHENS NEWS FRIDAY 12 AUGUST 2011 1

Image of the w

Sweet

revenge

Spanish matador Ivan

Fandino is pushed to the

ground by a bull during a

bullfight at the Begona

Festival in Gijon, Spain

Turkey steps up pressure on CyprusTURKEY will effect the “necessary responses”if the Republic of Cyprus makes any attemptto undertake exploration missions for largeoffshore gas deposits in Cypriot territorial

waters, Turkish Foreign Minister AhmetDavutoglu said on August 5.

US-based energy company Nobel Energyplans to start explorations in October foruseable gas in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone(EEZ), known as Block 12, southeast of theisland. Speaking to reporters, Davutoglu said“no one has the right to do anything over theisland’s natural resources ... before the Cyprusissue is resolved”.

Cyprus Foreign Minister Erato Markoullisaid on August 8 that Nicosia had lodged acomplaint with the United Nations and theEuropean Union over Ankara’s threats and warned that Turkey was jeopardising itsEuropean aspirations.

The Mediterranean island has been dividedsince 1974 as a consequence of a Turkishmilitary invasion. In 2004 Cyprus joined theEuropean Union and is due to assume the

rotating EU presidency in July 2012.Turkey does not formally recognise the

Republic of Cyprus and, t herefore, has claimedit cannot recognise Nicosia’s EU presidency.On July 9 Ankara threatened “to freeze”relations with the EU if no resolution to theCyprus question is reached before July 2012.

Cyprus President Dimitris Christofias andTurkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu areparticipating in intensive, UN-sponsored talksto reach a solution before October. Davutoglu

said “there must be an administrationrepresenting both parts of the island” beforethe exploration of Block 12 can begin. Cypriotofficials have estimated there could be up to 483billion cubic metres of useable gas in the block.

The speculation that there may be vastamounts of natural gas in Cypriot territorial waters has sparked the latest episode on anincreasingly intense and transformative EasternMediterranean geopolitical stage. In June 2010Nobel Energy discovered 453bn cubic metresof useable gas in the Leviathan gas fields,situated in disputed waters between Israel andLebanon and only 34km from Block 12. Thefindings came at a time of rapprochement inIsraeli-Greek relations, in contrast to a declinein Turkish-Israeli relations.

Local pundits claim that, as the EU aims todiversify its energy supplies away from theRussian Gazprom monopoly, the significance

of potentially useable gas in Cyprus and Israelhas added pressure on the already weakenedgovernment of Cyprus to accept a resolution tothe almost four-decade long partition of theisland.

Furthermore, the planned Nabucco pipeline- which is intended to carry gas from the CaspianSea to Austria via Turkey- has not materialisedbecause of concerns about the origin of the gas,the security of the pipeline and the ambitiousnature of the project itself. Therefore, Europecould benefit from Eastern Mediterraneanenergy resources. Yet, without a solution to theCyprus conundrum, the geopolitical hostilitiesin the basin will certainly intensify.

Constantine Callaghan

Local pundits claim that the significanceof potentially useable gas in Cyprus and Israel hasdded pressure on the already weakened governmentof Cyprus to accept a resolution to the almost four-

decade long partition of the island