Posted on 08/31/2013 1:50:22 PM PDT by Vince Ferrer
Yesterday afternoon, Russia agreed to restructure Cyprus' EUR 2.5 billion loan terms to a much more affordable 2.5% semi-annual coupon through 2016 and a principal re-payment over the following four years. While probably still out of reach for the desparate economy, it was a positive step. Of course, this 'offer' by Russia has its quid pro quo. This morning, Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides has stated that Cyprus territory will not be used to launch military strikes against Syria, as "Cyprus wants to live up to its responsibility as a shelter if needed for nationals of friendly countries who evacuate from Middle East". It would appear Obama's influence is fading everywhere...
Cyprus is located ~183 nautical miles west of Syria and is the EU member nearest to Syria.
Russia restructures Cyprus loan (via ITAR-TASS - ):
The Russian government has endorsed restructuring of the terms of the Russian loan to Cyprus, Deputy Finance Minister Sergei Storchak told reporters Friday.
The restructuring was endorsed at the last meeting of the Cabinet, he said
Cyprus is to repay a EUR 2.5bn loan to Russia in eight semiannual installments starting in 2016, Deputy Finance Minister Sergey Storchak told reporters today, citing a revision of repayment terms approved at the latest cabinet meeting. The interest rate was lowered to 2.5% from 4.5%.
Russia extended the loan in 2011 for 4.5 years. Cyprus UK Bases (via Bloomberg)
The U.K. has 2 sovereign bases on Cyprus; and despite its vote against a strike, the U.K. Ministry of Defence said today 6 RAF Typhoon interceptor fast jets deploying to British base at Akrotiri in Cyprus as precautionary measure "to protect British bases on island" Cyprus Refugee Camp (via Bloomberg)
Cyprus Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides says his country is prepared for any influx of foreign nationals in the event of military action against Syria, in comments to reporters in Nicosia today. Cyprus can accept up to 10,000 people daily on basis they remain for 48 hours before repatriation (Cyprus received more than 40,000 evacuees from Lebanon after 2 weeks fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters in 2006). Cyprus Refuses To Allow Strikes From Its Territory against Syria (via Bloomberg)
Cyprus assured its territory wont be used to launch military strikes against Syria, Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides said, according to a transcript of his comments posted on govts press-office website
Kasoulides commented that "Cyprus wants to live up to its responsibility as a shelter if needed for nationals of friendly countries who evacuate from Middle East"
So, it would appear there is the 'quid' and the 'quo'... what next? US offers to build Cyprus casinos, Google 'Glass' for everyone, and the rights to "American Idol" for free?
Obama comes from a community organizer mentality of the hard left. The strategy in community organizing is to bully, intimidate, bluff, and humiliate the opposition into caving. There is no strategy for building coalitions, relationships, or win-win outcomes. During Obama's years as a community organizer, things were pretty mush a cake walk. It wasn't like in the early civil rights days when civil rights activists could be killed. By the time Obama was a community organizer, whites were pretty much caving in on anything, and more often than not, any conflict wasn't even genuine, because both sides were from the Left. How much conflict is there in deciding between the democrat government, democrat unions, and democrat community organizers on how to distribute other people's money?
As president, for the first time, he and his team, fresh from their graduate schools, are having to negotiate with people who are working in the best interest of their own peoples. And things are not going well for Obama, because real politics is not going like their term papers said it would, and they are not caving in like Obama's only previous experience.
Now we see how out of his league Obama really is.
>> More evidence this administration is completely inapable of negotiating or building coalitions.
Well, no... but have you seen them putt? Awesome for amateurs.
Next comes a brand spanking new Russian naval base in the heart of the Mediterranean.
I think you make very astute observations here.
The UK sovereign bases on Cyprus are sovereign and they have no say over them. I’m sure the British will let the US use them, even if they can no longer get directly involved.
The U.S. would not need Greek Cypriot territory to launch strikes against Syria. The Turkish Republic of North Cyprus could be used, as well as Turkey herself. Both of those jurisdictions are majority Sunni Muslim, so they would be happy to help Obama arrange the slaughter of the 2.5 million Alawites and 2.5 million Christians behind Assad.
bookmark
“Isn’t it convenient seeing the proximaty of Cypress to where the new Russian bases will be.”
Really? That’s news to me. How about you post proof that this will take place. I worked with Israeli natural gas companies in 2011-12. The Russians and Israelis were pounding out agreements to develop the Cypriot natural gas fields in the Mediterranean Sea. I saw nothing in the negotiations to establish Russian naval bases.
While probably still out of reach for the desparate economy,it was a positive step. Of course,this 'offer' by Russia has its quid pro quo.
“How about you post that Russia does NOT use Lebanese ports (they have)”
You were babbling about Cyprus and Russian naval ports. I asked for proof from you. How do you get from Cyprus to Lebanon and then Syria? Forget you.
Thanks for wishing me a good night’s sleep. I appreciate that. Next time you present some nutty idea that the Russians are building naval bases in Cyprus, back it up with facts rather than wishful thinking. You won’t sound like a pothead. Put down the bong and try to reassemble your brain cells.
US firm to meet president about Cyprus investment
31 August 2013
Nicosia - A large American investment company is interested in investing in Cyprus, a source told CNA on Saturday.
Representatives of the Washington-based company will be received on Tuesday by Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, at the Presidential Palace, to express their intention to invest in Cyprus, said a Cypriot government source, who declined to be named.
snip
The source spoke of a firm with one of the largest investment funds in the US, currently managing the largest gas project in the world located in Alaska, worth of $65 billion.
They believe that Cyprus can be a benchmark for the development in the region and that the Cypriot economy will recover particularly through the development of the energy sector, the source noted.
http://www.cyprusgasnews.com/archives/3265
Does that mean that an embassy on American soil would be in the clear if it brought in someone with a dirty bomb and allowed them to detonate it on Canada?
No the UK will not do something that would put them at direct odds with the host government. They would putting the future of the bases at risk. And the government of Cyprus controls its own airspace.
The French would not allow Reagan to even fly over France when he bombed Libya.
There is a meaningful difference between your average foreign airbase and the UK bases in Cyprus. They are NOT hosted by the cypriot government, they are comsidered sovereign British territory, just as Gitmo is US territory neighbouring Cuba, who you can be damn sure would deny the US use of if they could.
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