Van Rompuy calls on Turkey to show restraint
OUTGOING European Council President Herman Van Rompuy yesterday waded into the dispute between Cyprus and Turkey regarding the latter’s stated intention to carry out seismic studies and send a drilling rig in licenced offshore blocks in Cyprus’ southern exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
According to his spokesperson, Van Rompuy is concerned about renewed tensions in the eastern Mediterranean and called on Turkey to show restraint.
“It is essential that all parties respect the sovereignty of others and are willing to settle disputes peacefully in accordance with international law,” said the spokesman.
“The European Union has repeatedly stressed the need to respect the sovereignty of EU member states over their territorial sea. The sovereign rights of EU member states include the right to enter into bilateral agreements and to explore and exploit their natural resources in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.”
The spokesman added: “The President expects Turkey to show restraint and act in accordance with international law. All parties must do their utmost to ensure a positive climate in order to continue negotiations aimed at reaching a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue.”
Turkey’s decision to reserve a large section of sea in Cyprus’ EEZ for seismic studies- cutting through five blocks, including block 9 where Italian-South Korean consortium ENI-KOGAS is currently drilling for gas- led President Nicos Anastasiades to suspend direct negotiations in the peace process on Tuesday.
Anastasiades has made it clear that the country’s resources belong to the state and all its citizens, noting that the Turkish Cypriots would also enjoy the benefits of any hydrocarbon finds within the framework of a federal state, post-solution.
However, Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots appear unwilling to wait, with the latest actions south of the island, including sending warships to monitor ENI’s drilling, sending a clear message of intent.
So far only the European Council President, Greece and the UK have publicly named Turkey in their statements.
Greece came out with the strongest statement in support of Cyprus’ sovereign rights, while accusing Turkey of “provoking tension”.
The UK’s Foreign Office released a statement earlier in the week recognising Cyprus’ sovereign rights to exploit mineral reserves in its EEZ, which, it said, should be exploited for the benefit of all the communities in Cyprus.
At the same time, the UK regretted recent incidents, “such as Turkey’s announcement of exploration activities in the Republic of Cyprus’ EEZ”, that “have risked raising tensions”. The UK called on all parties to avoid inflammatory actions or statements.
Van Rompuy’s comments come on the back of a Russian foreign ministry statement released on Thursday which said: “Unilateral actions, the show of force are unacceptable, and entail risks of a deterioration of the situation, not only in Cypriot affairs, but also in the wider region of the eastern Mediterranean.”
According to government sources, Russia also issued a demarche to Ankara via its ambassador there, roughly passing on the same message as in the public statement.
Meanwhile, behind the scenes, America and Italy, which currently holds the EU Presidency and has an Italian firm involved, have also been talking to Ankara in an effort to defuse tensions.
Publicly, the US State Department said it recognised Cyprus’ rights over the resources in its EEZ, while noting the importance of avoiding actions which intensify tensions in the region.
It added: “We continue to believe that the island’s oil and gas resources as well as all of its resources should be equitably shared between the two communities into the context of an overall settlement.”
Speaking to public broadcaster CyBC yesterday, government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides welcomed Russia’s “positive” statement, adding that all sides understood Nicosia’s position, that Turkish intentions must be revised for there to be a return to the negotiating table.
Everyone understands that you cannot carry out negotiations under the weight of threats and blackmail, he said.
Meanwhile, the parties and at least one local paper hailed Russia’s intervention, stopping short of likening it to a deus ex machina, while taking snipes at the government for its pro-west realignment.
Phileleftheros claimed Moscow had effectively told off Ankara for its provocations in Cyprus’ EEZ.
Main opposition AKEL spokesman Giorgos Loucaides said the Russian announcement was welcome, though delayed, and in stark contrast to the lack of response from EU institutions and the “neutral” response from Cyprus’ so-called strategic allies, the US and UK.
He expressed hope the government would abandon its delusions and return to a multi-dimensional foreign policy, rather than its one-dimensional attachment to the US, NATO and the west.
EDEK, the Greens and Citizens Alliance all praised the Russian intervention and called on the government to return its focus to relations with Russia.
Greens leader Giorgos Perdikis said the government’s overtures to the west smacked of “ideological fanaticism”, while Russia’s response to Turkish threats shone a bright light on the west’s “Turkish-friendly stance”.
Speaking abroad, at an oil and gas forum in London yesterday, DIKO leader Nicolas Papadopoulos was more welcoming of international support, saying “we have been met with understanding by all the other countries that have similar interests in the region”.
DISY leader Averof Neophytou and head of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Ozkan Yorgancioglu yesterday met at DISY headquarters to discuss ways to overcome the impasse, during which they reiterated their determination to find a Cyprus solution.
Asked specifically about Russia’s response to the maritime crisis and lack of reaction from western allies, Neophytou replied: “We had (a response) from Russia, and America and the UK. I am satisfied with the announcement from the UK.”
Former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat was quoted by Halkin Sesi newspaper yesterday saying that the Turkish side did not seem to be on the right side of international law on this issue.
“The issue has many dimensions. To start with, nothing is solved by sending warships. Because, like it or not, the Turkish side does not seem to be right on the hydrocarbons issue before international law,” he said.
Meanwhile, none of the parties yesterday commented on the recent bombshell revelation by former DIKO leader Marios Garoyian that the Russian government had leaned on Cypriot MPs during the heady days of March 2013 to throw out a Eurogroup proposal for a levy on all bank deposits in Cyprus, including Russian Commercial Bank (RCB).
“Moscow had conveyed a clear message that if deposits at RCB were affected, we [Cyprus] would witness a reaction never seen before,” the politician told a local radio show on Wednesday.
The rejection of that proposal led to the wiping out of depositors at Laiki and a 47.5 per cent haircut on uninsured deposits at Bank of Cyprus.