Stormy Waters Ahead.

[tingtang]

We are aware that the gas field exploration in the Eastern Med has been successful. Two weeks ago there was a meeting with the Energy Ministers of Israel, Egypt, ROC and Greece to discuss the joint funding of an undersea pipeline from the gas fields to the Greek mainland in order to get the gas to the European market, a considerable distance.

Initially Turkey was hopeful that the pipeline would terminate on their coastline, which would make economic sense but really would be a political 'No-No as neither EU or the producing countries would want to take any risk of being held to ransom by an unpredictable Turkey.

Turkey have now accepted that the pipeline is not going to happen for them and they have now commissioned 3 ships to be deployed in the East Med, no doubt with the intention of harassing and disrupting the pipeline operations, drilling rigs and their supplies. We can predict that there are going to be some major incidents into who knows what it will escalate to.

There was a meeting in New York with the UN Secretary General this past weekend attended by the leaders of TRNC & the ROC except that the two never met but had separate talks with the UN negotiator so, once again, it proved to be 'talks about talks' and thus it goes on and on achieving nothing which suits the ROC very well as they have never been interested in any settlement which is not fully on their own terms which isn't going to happen.

Irrespective of what has gone before the TRNC has a fundamental right to a proportionate share of the revenue from the gas fields and the UN should tell the ROC that they just cannot parcel this issue into the overall settlement package, it should be separated and resolved now. If there can be an agreement on this issue that would appease Turkey, who speak on behalf of TRNC , and avert the crises which I can see will not be long in coming.

tt

[kayc]

Yes, I believe there will be problems surrounding this resource discovery in the sea surrounding Cyprus. When it comes to dividing $$$$, problems alway erupt, Cyprus or anywhere in the world for that matter. I was of the understanding the fields adjoining the TRNC territory were TRNC's to drill and the areas adjoining the ROC belonged to them.

The question remains...Is that fair and equal?

Cyprus is a geopolitical location of importance in all regards, with the regional conflicts and military positioning - let alone this recent resource discovery. I can't say I'd put trust in the USAs or Israels intentions on any front and I hope that Turkey has the ability to fend off those hungry dogs as they will take all they can get away with and have not a thought of the Turkish Cypriots here in the TRNC. Countless other examples of the same behaviors exist... the Golan Heights being just one.

[EnjoyingTheSun]

Countless other examples of the same behaviors exist... the Golan Heights being just one.

Off topic but I always find it amusing that there is this view that Israel annexed the Golan Heights, West Bank and Gaza Strip from Palestinians. Maybe look up who had these territories before 1967, without a murmer from Palestinians or the rest of the world.