EUParliament Defense Committee Chair Loiseau eyes EU Navy as Turkey WarShips bully Cyprus' Energy

*Strasbourg/European Parliamentary Association/Angelo Marcopolo/(Partly UPDATED)- Incoming EU Parliament's Security/Defense Committee's President, French former EU Affairs Minister, Natalie Loiseau, during a Debate on the Development of EU's Army with representatives of the Federalist European Movement, hosted by the European Parliamentary Association (EPA) this Evening in Strasbourg, where "Eurofora" had been Invited, stressed, inter alia, also the Practical Importance of the presence of EU Navy around Energy-rich EU-Member Cyprus' Territorial Waters, as Turkey is currently Multiplying various Provocations mainly through Bullying with Warships, (See, among others, also, f.ex; : ...)

Turkey has issued, shortly after the Latest EU Summit in Brussels, (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/macronimportanteustatementoncyprusturkey.html, etc), also another "Navtex" threatening Real Fire Military Exercises, reportedly "inside Cyprus' Territorial Waters", from 2 to 17 July 2019, including Energy Exploration Slots 2, 8, 9 and 13, at the Southern Part of Cyprus, (Comp. relevant MAP), in Addition to illegal Turkish Drillling attemps inside Cyprus' EEZ, (long after Chassing away an Italian Ship Drllling for Cyprus' Government inside its EEZ).

Meanwhile, EU is looking on "Options for appropriate Measures",  "including Targetted Measures", "withOut Delay",  in Addition to the "Serious, Immediate Negative Impact that ... illegal actions have accross the range of EU - Turkey relations", according to the Official EU Summit's Declaration on Cyprus.

 >>> - In Fact, we have observed that, from times to times, whenever some French Army Ships arrive Near Cyprus, all such Turkish Bullying Disappears... But, Afterwards, when they Leave that area, this may re-Start again, pointed out Chairwoman Loiseau, Today, smiling...

She was Replying to a relevant topical Question raised by a European Federalist from the Netherlands, of Greek Origin.

=> Such Facts are Important, because they obviously indicate that among the  "Targetted Measures" Currently Examined by the EU, should also be some kind of more or less Permanent EU Navy presence around Cyprus, in order to Regularly Protect the Energy Fields which have Started to be Discovered there.

Already, inter alia, as early as since 2011, a team of French High-Tech. Experts had Visited a Key Naval Base in Cyprus, (nick-named "Mari" and/or "Charilaos Florakis"), in order to Help Investigate a Strange Explosion which had Killed several Key Navy Officers and Destroyed a Pioneer, Innovative Power Plant, designed to Produce Electricity from Gas, (i.e. almost in the Line of Ideas recently supported by Israel etc., for a New and Safe way  to Transport Huge Recent Findigs of Gas, from the South-Eastern Mediterranean Sea towards Europe).

This had been, initialy, unveiled and described to "Eurofora" by competent Senior Officials at the "Elysée" Palace in Paris, back on late July 2011, on the Sidelines of a Meeting between Cyprus and French Presidents Christofias and Sarkozy, (See, f.ex., among others, also at: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/sarkozycounseloronhelptoinvestigatecyprusexplosion.html, etc).

More Recently, during 2018, new Plans about, if not a Military Base, more precisely an eventual Deal for Permanent Access to important acilities at that "Mari" Naval Base of Cyprus, were reportedly Discussed with France.

Already, just 1 Year Earlier, after a relevant exchange between "Eurofora" and French President Emmanuel Macron, on the sidelines of the "G20" Summit in Hamburg, Germany, on 2017, (See: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/macrontoprotectcyprusisraelenergyforeurope.html, etc), France's Minister of Army, Francoise Parly, made a 1st Official Visit to the Island, (Later Followed also by various Other such Contacts, including Visits of Important French Military Ships).

During a Wider Event on Strategic Policy and Scientific Research, including Universitarian, organized by the French Ministry of Defense, earlier this year in Paris, (14/2/2019), where "Eurofora" had been Invited, together with some other Journalists specialized in European issues, Capitain Hamelin, in charge of Strategy at the Naval Force, highlighted the Big Potential Importance for European Security of Energy Supplies which emerges Nowadays, precisely at the South-Eastern Mediterranean Area, between EU Member Cyprus, Israel and Egypt, where Gas/Oil New Findings are notoriously Booming. He pointed also at a forthcoming, then, Conference on EU's Maritime Security, prepared in Brussels for April 2019, and added to that area of special and Topical Interest, also a much Larger Region around the Indian Ocean, as Long as between the Sea of China and the Suez Channel, where, notoriously, a Huge Amount of World's Energy Supplies are regularly transported, and where France a.o. would like to Cooperate with together with Germany and other allied Countries. Both these 2 Strategic Areas are Linked through the Suez Channel, Facing Cyprus : the unique island present in that junction...

New French President Emmanuel Macron is quite well Aware, Since as Early as ...2015, on the Double Occasion of his Visits to Strasbourg, (where he First met "Eurofora" as a Minister of Economy, then : See his Replies to our Questions at: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/frencheconomyministermacronegyptisraelcyprusgaspipelinebigchance.html, etc), just before travelling to Israel and Palestine, of the apparently Immense Potential in Energy Resources, just Waiting to be harnassed and efficiently used, around these 3 Neighouring Countries, which have already Started to closely Cooperate together, (Multiplying, f.ex. several Trilateral Summits and Joint Projects  (including "East-MED" Pipeline, endorsed by EU Commission, etc), bringing Together Heads of State/Governments of EU Members Cyprus and Greece, with Israel and Egypt, (adding, more recently, also Lebanon).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Participating to Today's Meeting in Strasbourg between MEPs and the Federalist European Movement (Comp. Supra), "Eurofora" reminded the Fact that, from a purely Geological point of view, there is a Basic Similarity between the "South-Eastern Mediterranean" Sea, and the ..."Gulf of Mexico", (Scientifically Studied since +25 Years Earlier !), where the USA have notoriously made Many Important Energy Findings recently, to the point that, (added also to some Other relevant Developments), they are starting to speak more about Exports of Energy, than Imports, in a foreseable Future...              

"Eurofora"'s co-Founder has been consistently following this issue since as Early as a 2001 PanEuropean Mega-Conference of "Geo-Science" in Strasbourg, full of Top Experts, several of whom had a 1st Hand Knowledge of South-East Mediterranean's Geology, so that, in Addition to their Original Research (some of which, We Critically analysed), they gave us also some Interesting original Interviews on that matter, (See our relevant Publications, then, at "CyprusWeekly", etc). This was afterwards Completed also by a Short but Topical, Phone INTW with Cyprus' President, Glafkos Clerides, at his Home, when he was just Preparing to Visit Egypt's President Moubarak, with whom they soon Signed the 1st Agreement on the Territorial Limitation of the respective EEZ of their Neighbouring Countries, (soon followed also by Israel, etc).

+ So that, Recently, the Experienced EU Commission's vice-President for Energy, Maros Sefcovic, speaking to "Eurofora" in Brussels on 2017, clearly announced his Expectation that the South-East Mediterranean Countries' Oil/Gas Potential (Cyprus, Israel and Egypt) "could become a Second Norway !" (See: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/eucommissionersefcoviconcyprusenergy.html).     

Meanwhile, it's also a Fact that the Northern Sea's deposits are notoriously Declining Nowadays and losing their former cap a Partial Exception of Only a comparatively Small Bit, Near Norway itself). So that Europe will Soon Depend Only from the New Findings, in South-Eastern Mediterranean Energy Resources around Cyprus, as far as European Oil/Gas sources are concerned.  

- But, there, "the Problem is that Turkey does Not want that", resumed Nowadays the French Naval Policy Strategist, Captain Hamelin, speaking to "Eurofora", (Comp. Supra).  

In Fact, what Turkey really wants is to Oblige Cyprus and all Europe to transfert their Energy Resources, from the South-Eastern Mediterranean Sea, Northwards, right inside the Turkish mainland, through the Occupied Territories of Cyprus, still held by Ankara's Foreign Invasion and Occupation Army... Once there, obviously, the Turkish Regime, could Take a Part for itself and its Cronies, under any Pretext, and put the rest inside a ...Turkish Pipeline towards Europe, which would be Controlled by Ankara's Military, and Submitted, Not Only to Anatolia Plateau's Notoriously Dangerous, Destructive and Deadly EarthQuakes, Regional Conficts, etc, but also to the infamous Turkish Government's ...Political "Blackmails", at any moment...(Not to mention the Quarrels about ...Prices, too Often in the Past, vis a vis Russia and even Iran, etc)...  

- And all that useless trouble with Turkey,

...while Europe can Easily have a DIRECT ACCESS to the South-Eastern Mediterranean Energy Resources, normaly withOut any Problem, in a much Faster, Safer, and Cheaper way than that : Fex. via Ship Transports of LNG, and/or Under-Sea Pipelines (as "East-MED" EU's Projec, etc) Linking EU Members Cyprus to Greece and afterwards towards Italy, etc., and/or through the Balkans : Bulgaria/Romania, and/or North Macedonia/Serbia/Hungary, etc. +An additional, mainly Israel-proposed Idea, is also to Transform Gas/Oil in Electricity on the spot, and, afterwards, Transfer the Electric Current to the rest of Europe through UnderSea Networks, etc. In All these cases, the EU could Control almost Everything, by itself, (withOut depending on anyone else, as "intermediary").

Already, Europen Compagnies have started to Drill and make Findings around Cyprus, as Italy's "ENI" and France's "TOTAL", (whose initial Decision to Explore Cyprus' Energy potential was announced by its Historic CEO, Christophe de Margerie, to "Eurofora", at Elysée Palace in Paris, since 2012, See: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/killedmargeriekeyforrussiaandcyprusenergy.html etc), as well as "KOGAS" from South Korea,  Israeli "DELEK" and USA Company "NOBLE Energy", followed also by EXXON/MOBIL, etc., after which even the New USA's Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, symbolically participated in a Trilateral Summit between Israel, Cyprus and Greece, precisely on South-Eastern Mediterranean Energy Resources, recently (2019).

+ In Parallel, even more Important Oil/Gas Findings have been already made at Adjacent Fields in Neighbouring Israel and/or Egypt.

Overall Findings have reached a level which raises more and more the Central Question of Efficient Management, adequate Investments, and Transport(s) of Energy towards mainly Europe's most Populated and/or Indurstrial Core.

However, Turkey's shameless Harassment and Bullying on the spot (Comp. Supra) raises an obvious Challenge to EU's Energy Supplies' Security,  but also Credibility :

- Indeed, until Now, several EU Heads of State/Government Summits have published some Crystal-clear, very Explicit and Strong Official Statements from Brussels, Denoucing and Condemning such illegal and Brutal Bullying by Turkey against the Rightful and Peaceful Exploitation of EU Member Cyprus' own Natural Resources in its Territorial Waters, Warning Ankara with Sanctions if it doesn't Stop to blatantly Violate International Law. The Latest one, just issued on June 22, 2019, in Brussel, (See, f.ex.: ..., etc), is particularly Locacious.

But, in fact, Turkey, from the time that it send its Warships to Chasse Away a Peaceful Italian "ENI"'s Drilling Ship legally working in Cyprus' territorial waters last Year (2018), (something that they did Not Dare do again, when ...USA's "EXXON-MOBIL" drilling ship arrived, later-on, in Cyprus too...), up to the most Recent, Provocative illegal "Drillings" by Turkish Ships inside EU Member Cyprus' Territorial Waters and EEZ, withOut any Authorisation, up to those Repeated Ankara's "Navtex" threatening to send more and more Warships, with Real Ammunitions, pretexting to make so-called Military "Exercices" right in the Middle of EU Member Cyprus' Territorial Waters and EEZ, even inside legally allocated Slots for Peaceful Exploration of Natural Resources by European Compagnies, (Comp. Supra, f.ex. for July 2019), has been Multiplying Dangerous and Brutal Provocations withOut any real Sanctions at all, (except from Verbal reactions), until now...

=> So that, Obviously, the Time has inevitably come, now, for the EU to clearly show, in front of everybody, if it really Means what it says, and if Europe is Able to make itself Respected by Aggressive 3rd Countries, (particularly inside its own EU External Borders/Territorial Waters) !

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>>> In such an Exceptionally "Hot" Context, the above-mentioned Observations, made Today in Strasbourg by French MEP et incoming Chairwoman of EU Parliament's Defense Committee, Natalie Loiseau, on Turkish provocations in Cyprus and EU Navy's efficient reactions to Saveguard Peace on the spot, (Comp. Supra), as well as French President Emmanuel Macron's alleged Proposal to Bring to EU Commission's Presidency, for the 1st Time in History, a current Minister of ...Defense, the German Ursula Von der Leyen, inevitably looks as a Timely and Symbolic "Coincidence"...  

=> Does it Mean that the Franco-German EU's Engin wants to Boost Europe's Defense policy, Starting from the most Natural, Useful and Obvious Move : I.e. EU's unquestionable and legitimate Right to Protect its External Borders and Natural Resources from any illegal and Brutal Military Threat by any Foreign 3rd Country ?

+ And Germany can be a Good Choice for that purpose, by French President Macron, not only because several mainstream Medias Timely prefered nowadays to Picture EU-hopeful, Defense Minister Von der Leyen amidst Bundeswehr's ...Naval forces, but also given the Fact that, even Historic French President Jacques Chirac, when he had managed to launch a UN-sponsored, Peace-Keeping International Operation, led by Europe, in order to Succesfully Safeguard the "Hot" then Borders between Israel and Lebanon, back since 2006, he had decided to give the Head of EU's relevant ...Naval Force (due to monitor Lebanon's SeaCoasts), precisely to ...Germany, with its HeadQuarters based in Cyprus !

>>> That Historic Move by Chirac, (for the success of which, a lot of Diplomatic efforts had been made, from Europe to New York, Wash. DC, etc., in addition to a very Firm Political stance by the French President then), was followed also by the 1st Visit of German Chancellor Angie Merkel to Cyprus, later-on, (initialy on a German Ship of the FINUL, and afterwards officially in Nicosia), Strengthening European Defense's active presence at a Strategic location, (Comp. Supra).

+ Even nowadays' Nomination of Spain's Foreign Minister Josep Borrell (former EU Parliament's President, with whom "Eurofora"'s co-Founder had cooperated in the Past), for the Top EU job as Europe's High Representative for External Action, during 2019-2024, is not without any relation  :

- Indeed, Borrell was, exceptionally, Spain's representative to a Recent Summit of EU's Southern Countries, (i.e. together with Heads of State/Government as Macron, Conte, Tsipras, Anastasiades, etc), which had been hosted on 2019 in Cyprus.

=> Premonitory ?...

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