EU tells Ankara to back off

Cyprus Mail ^ | 9/9/11 | Stefanos Evripidou

[LibWhacker]

THE EUROPEAN Commission yesterday issued its strongest rebuke yet to Turkey over its threatening behaviour towards Cyprus’ efforts to drill for hydrocarbon reserves within its own Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Unfazed, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan continued to raise the stakes in his row with Israel and Cyprus over hydrocarbon explorations in the eastern Mediterranean, vowing yesterday to stop them from exploiting natural resources in the area while also pledging to send warships to escort aid to Gaza.

The EU, through Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule yesterday “urged Turkey to refrain from any kind of threat, sources of friction or action, which could negatively affect good neighbourly relations and the peaceful settlement of border disputes”.

In a released statement, Fule said, “The Commission regrets any statements that are not conducive to this objective,” noting that it “regularly reiterates these issues in its discussions with Turkey and will continue to monitor Turkey’s commitments to good neighbourly relations in the light of the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes”.

The Commission further highlighted the importance of progress in the normalisation of relations between Turkey and the Republic of Cyprus. The EU also “stressed all the sovereign rights of EU member states which include entering into bilateral agreements, in accordance with the EU acquis and international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea”.

The Commission underlined the “urgent need” to reach a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue.

“Ahead of the crucial phase of Cyprus talks this autumn, it is essential that all parties concerned exert restrain and do their utmost to ensure a positive climate that will facilitate a successful completion of the process,” said the statement released by Fule’s office.

Tensions in the eastern Mediterranean are growing by the day as top Turkish officials continue to make cutting comments on Turkey’s plans to beef up navy patrols in the region and secure free navigation of the seas, following its spat with Israel over nine activists killed in international waters last year. Apart from Turkish demands for an Israeli apology, compensation for the families of the dead and free passage to Gaza, the combative tone of the Turkish leadership is also viewed by some analysts as a response to Israel and Cyprus’ plans to explore for oil and gas in their respective EEZs.

According to Reuters, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan went a step further yesterday in an interview with Al Jazeera saying Turkish warships will escort any Turkish aid vessels to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, preventing Israel from attacking them again.

Erdogan also said that Turkey had taken steps to stop Israel from unilaterally exploiting natural resources from the eastern Mediterranean.

“Turkish warships, in the first place, are authorised to protect our ships that carry humanitarian aid to Gaza,” Erdogan said in the interview, broadcast by Al Jazeera with an Arabic translation.

“You know that Israel has begun to declare that it has the right to act in exclusive economic areas in the Mediterranean,” Erdogan said, apparently in reference to Israeli plans to exploit offshore gas reserves found in areas that are also claimed by Lebanon.

“You will see that it will not be the owner of this right, because Turkey, as a guarantor of the Turkish republic of north Cyprus, has taken steps in the area, and it will be decisive and holding fast to the right to monitor international waters in the east Mediterranean,” he warned.

Deploying warships to escort aid vessels to Gaza and direct interference in the exploitation of Israel and Cyprus’ natural resources are the boldest statements yet to come from the outspoken Turkish leader.

Former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat was quoted in Turkish Cypriot press yesterday criticising President Demetris Christofias for being “insanely brave” in daring to explore the island’s natural resources before a Cyprus solution.

Defence Minister Demetris Eliades yesterday condemned Erdogan’s statements, noting that Turkey has reached the point of issuing direct threats to numerous countries.

“Turkey with its overt threats against Cyprus is exposed in the eyes of the international community,” said Eliades.

Government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou said yesterday: “Turkey needs to get the message that all states should act within the framework of international law because this safeguards peace and good relations between neighbouring states. Unfortunately Turkey opts to provoke and opts for tension.”

In an interview with Voice of America, Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou Marcoullis questioned how Turkey planned to disrupt drilling, undertaken by Houston-based Noble Energy, which is due to start by month’s end.

“I would like to hear from Turkish officials what exactly they plan to do? Do they plan to attack Noble Energy’s equipment when they start the drilling, because it is not the Republic of Cyprus that is doing the drilling?”

Marcoullis called on Turkey to act like a European country and conduct its foreign policy based on the UN Charter and European principles and laws.

Head of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KEVE) Manthos Mavromatis yesterday said the American company was ready to begin drilling despite the threat. Noble presented its plans at a closed gathering on Wednesday organised by KEVE and the Cyprus-American Business Association, in the presence of US Embassy officials.

According to Mavromatis, Noble plans to move the oil rig to Block 12 for drilling after September 20.

He noted that Noble is taking into consideration the threats but is proceeding normally, in coordination with the US State Department and Embassy here.

[SusaninOhio]

Ataturk is spinning in his grave.

So sad to see a country with a muslem majority, headed in the right direction, taken hostage by a religious government - completely the opposite of the plan Ataturk had to bring his country out of the dark ages and into the light.

Will the last modern Turk leaving, please turn out the lights.

[hinckley buzzard]

Marcoullis called on Turkey to act like a European country

Talk about falling on deaf ears. This fool is threatening to provoke chaos in the whole eastern Med.

[GonzoGOP]

Will the last modern Turk leaving, please turn out the lights.

Well if they get into a full scale war with Israel Ankara will be self lighting. Unlike Syria or even Egypt, Turkey is too big and too well armed to face in a conventional war. Israel will be forced to go unconventional before they are over run.

[Red6]

The military and political players in Turkey are exploiting the Islam/Muslim thing, but they themselves are secularists and really don't want to be infected by this disease.

The Turks are purely in it for themselves and always have been, even in the Cold War. Post Cold War you can see this culminate in the Iraq war where they essentially leveraged the use of their ground and air space for a northern front to have Germany (at the time Schroeder) concede support for EU membership to turn us down. Whatever benefits them, and now 10 years later they bite the Euro’s (who wouldn't allow them to join their club after all) in the ankles. I'm shocked! lol

[DesertRhino]

“Turkey is too big and too well armed to face in a conventional war.”

Reminds me of the “mother of all battles”.
Turkey bought a lot of toys,, but skill levels are laughable compared to the Israeli military. Review Syria and the Bekaa valley airwar. 80 Syrians down to zero for Israel.
The Turks only hope to face an Israeli attack would be to TRY to get NATO to join on the Turk side. This is doubtful because the Turks will start the agression,, or will create a clear and unambiguous imminent threat that causes an Israeli defensive response.

This was Already true, but now that the Turk military has been purged of professionals and islamicized, they are very weak. Also, Israel has no need at all for a land war with Turkey,, they only need to neutralize the Turk fleet and Air force. This is about a weeks job.

Last,, Turkey used to hire Israel to do the rebuilds of it’s fighters. Why didnt the Turks just do it at home? We all know the answer.

[GonzoGOP]

Also, Israel has no need at all for a land war with Turkey,, they only need to neutralize the Turk fleet and Air force.

If the Turks come pouring down through Lebanon there isn't much to stop them North of Israel's border. They have 400,000 active duty forces with 1150 (up gunned M60) modern and 2800 (up gunned M48) second line tanks. Israel has 187,000 on active duty. And their tanks have a vast qualitative and also numerical advantage over those of the Turks (1600 Merkava Mark 4 and 1500 up gunned M60s). So it is going to be 73 Easting on the Med for a while.

Israel can call in enough reserves to match the Turks in numbers, but only at the expense of shutting down their economy for the duration. The Turks don't have to actually win, they just have to keep fighting for a couple of months and Israel will collapse.

Alone the Turks probably can't do that, but if the Turks came in do you honestly think Syria and Egypt wouldn't come in as well? The Egyptians alone throw in another 320,000 men and 150,000 reserves. And unlike the outdated Turkish tanks the Egyptians have 1300 M1A2 Abrams tanks backed up by over 2000 older models. One on One Israel could probably take them, just due to their better training, but not with an equal number of Turks and Syrians hammering down on their Northern border.

And that would put Israel in a situation similar to what they faced in 1967. They would have to knock Egypt out of the war before the Turks could march down through Lebanon and the Syrians could get their act together. It would be epic.

[GonzoGOP]

As to my comment about the Turks not fighting alone. Check out this post. Egyptians pull down wall if Israeli Embassy
This is going to get ugly and we will all be lucky to get out of it in one piece. Even if we are on the other side of the world.

[blasater1960]

And notice that Immam Hussein of the White House says nothing. Not a peep.

[a_Turk]

We can’t commit to all that with Russia stationed just north of our border. This is nothing. Just the balance of power shifting from Iran / Israel to Turkey, and that is not as bad as you may think. Meanwhile y’all don’t get your underwear in a bunch.

[a_Turk]

The EU are nothing but a bunch of pussies.

[a_Turk]

Did I write Iran/Israel? I meant Iran/Syria.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks LibWhacker.

...yesterday issued its strongest rebuke yet to Turkey over its threatening behaviour towards Cyprus' efforts to drill for hydrocarbon reserves within its own Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)... Erdogan continued to raise the stakes in his row with Israel and Cyprus over hydrocarbon explorations in the eastern Mediterranean, vowing yesterday to stop them from exploiting natural resources in the area while also pledging to send warships to escort aid to Gaza.

[SJackson]

Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

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[kalee]

I fear WW III is about to break out for real.

[ZULU]

Why I thought Turkey was the “moderate” Islamic state?

I thought they represented what a democratic Islamic nation could aspire to!

Perhaps I WAS right. With Islamic states you have three choices - lunatic theocracies, military dictatorships or total anarchy.

[ZULU]

Like all Turks, Kemal was a pig.

See:

http://www.armenian-genocide.org/kemal.html

[gogogodzilla]

Well, they’d have to get Syrian and Lebanese buy off before they could.

With Iran backing both, I don’t think Turkey is all that welcome.