Turkish GunBoat bullying Blocks European Energy source at EU Member State Cyprus: First Reactions

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- Shortly after French and Italian Energy Companies succeeded to make important Natural Gas Findings in Cyprus' "Calypso" EEZ area, as it was officially Announced Last Week, Turkish GunBoat Bullying Blocked a Next Exploration for EU's Independent Energy Sources at anOther point in its own Member State in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea,  by taking the unprecedented responsibility to send 5 War Boats to Threaten a Peaceful Italian ENI's Drilling Ship, in an area facing Israel, near Lebanon, in Blatant Contradiction with UN's International Law of the Sea, according to which, Nicosia has negotiated and signed relevant Agreements with its South-Eastern Mediterranean Neighbouring States, delimitating their Exclusive Economic Zones, including also Egypt, etc.

ENI/TOTAL and NOBLE ENERGY Companies' recent Gas/Oil Fidings in Cyprus' Exclusive Economic Zone are the Only New Fossile Energy Resources found  in European Territory, which "are Developing Well" and could "Become a 2nd Norway" in the forseable Future, as the competent and Experenced EU Commssion's vice-President Maros Cefcovic, responsible for Energy and Climate,  stressed to "Eurofora" already last Year (2017) in Brussels, (See: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/eucommissionersefcoviconcyprusenergy.html, and also Infra). 

In consequence, EU's and various other PanEuropean and/or International Organisation's Reactions are just Starting, while EU Ministers are Holding a 2 Days-Long "Gymnich" Collective Meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria, (the current EU Chair), Today and Tomorrow, on February 15 and 16.

Among many and various others, Initial Reactions, are included, f.ex., also the following :

- The President of EU Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, has just stated reportedy in Brussels, after a Collective Meeting of the Commission, that he "is absolutely Against such Turkey's actions".

- Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman, Zacharova, had reportedly called to use only "Peaceful means", according to International Law, for such Differends fuelled by Turkey, as a matter of Principle.

- On Sunday, Cyprus President Nicos Anstassiades, who has just been re-Elected on a pro-Peace and re-Unification Program (Comp.: .. etc), Denounced the Fact that Turkey's Military threat against ENI's Peaceful work inside Cyprus' EEZ, was a blatant "Violation of International Law". And he Added, Today, that his clearly declared Will to Strive for New UN-sponsored Talks for the Solution of Cyprus' problem and the Peaceful ReUnification of the island, was Hindered by Ankara's current Military Threats even inside Cyprus' Exclusive Economic Zone.

- "The EU stresses the need to Respect the Sovereignty of Member States over their Territorial Sea and Airspace", announced, on this occasion, an EU Commission's Spokesperson, earlier this week.
In this regard, Turkey's Brutal Canon-Boat policy Bullying, obviously "Damages good neighbourly relations and the Peaceful Settlement of disputes", EU's Spokesperson added.

=> Therefore, "Turkey needs to commit unequivocally to good neighbourly relations and Avoid any kind of source of friction, Threat, or action directed against a(n EU)  Member State", she concluded in her Official Statements.

+ Earlier this Morning, EU Parliament's President and experienced former EU Commissioner and f. Foreign Minister of Italy, Antonio Tajani, a Top ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP, speaking to RAI, according to ANSA, slamed the Turkish Military bullying as a "Violation of the Rules of International Law", which shows that Ankara is "moving Away from the EU", with "Usless Provocations", signaling "a Departure", and expressed his "Solidarity" to Cyprus.

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New French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking to "Eurofora" previously, during the "G20" Heads of State/Government Summit in Hamburg (Germany), on July 2017, had clearly expressed France's will to Support the recent Findings of Oil-Gas Energy in Eastern Mediterranean, i.e. in Cyprus, Egypt and Israel, considering also that they Cooperate between them and have Important Plans for Direct Energy Transport towards EU's Center, (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/macrontoprotectcyprusisraelenergyforeurope.html)

Shortly Afterwards, the French and, later-on, Italian Defense Ministers made official Visits to Cyprus, where France's "TOTAL" and Italy'"s "ENI" are actively involved in Energy Prospection, (as well as USA's "Noble Energy" and "EXXON", etc). Significantly, a French Military Boat appeared also in Cyprus' Territorial Waters then.

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The Latest EU Heads of State/Government Summit, on December 2017 in Brussels, officially celebrated, at an Exceptional PESCO Event, the Beginning of EU24's Countries closer Cooperation Agreement signed then to Boost the European common Defence policy, (See "Eurofora"s NewsReport from the spot then at : ...).

By a Coincidence, the 1st in History joint European Army's Victory was a succesful Naval Battle which took place at Lepante on 1571, facing the Ottoman Turc Empire, precisely on occasion of its Military Aggression against ... Cyprus' Famagusta region, (then held by Venice), where the Turkish Military had just Attacked and Brutally Massacrated its mainly Italian Defensors, in Blatant Violation of a previous Peace Deal with them.

This had practically Ended Ottoman Turks' force in the Mediterranean Sea, and was Followed, later-on, by the famous Wien (1683) and Budapest (1686) Victories of such joint European Armies against Turkish Attacks and/or Military Invasions/Occupations also at the Land of Europe, (including with the Help of England, Poland, Russia, etc), from which they were, Since then, Progressively chassed away, succeeding to Liberate, at first all Hungary (1699), and afterwards almost all the European Continent, until the Treaty of Sevres (France) on 1919.

By another Coincidence, those Events which had led to the 1st in History European Army's Victory, (at Lepante's Naval Battle), i.e. the Aggression of Italian forces near Famagusta, had taken place not so far away from Nowaday's Turkish Military Threats against a Peaceful Italian ENI's Ship inside EU Member Cyprus' Exclusive Economic Zone, at the slot No 3...

 In that area, Italy's "ENI" has obtained a Licence from Cyprus together with South Korea's "KOGAS", as also in the blocks Number 2 and 9. 

Earlier, ENI has just made Promising Energy Findings at the area Number 6, where it holds a Licence together with France's "TOTAL", as it also does in block Number 11, near Egypt's recently Growing Gas Findings at "Zor" adjacent region.

 The First significant Gas Findings in Cyprus' EEZ were made by USA's "NOBLE ENERGY", together with two other Companies, at the area Number 12, near Israel's "Leviathan" Gas deposits.

Recently, it's also USA's "EXXON-Mobil" Company which obtained a Licence at Cyprus' EEZ's block Number 10, (next to ENI+TOTAL's 11 : Comp. Supra). 

Another 3 Energy Companies, from Europe or Other regions of the World, are currently Cooperating with the above-mentioned Companies, at various Cyprus' EEZ parts.

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 A Important Advantage in EU Member Cyprus' growing Gas Findings obviously is the Manifold Possibilities for DIRECT Energy Transports towards Europe's Industrial a.o. Centers, withOut any obligation to previously cross through one or more "3rd", Non-European "Transit" Foreign Countries : 

Such Direct Energy Transport possibilities to Europe's center, include, f.ex. : 

- NLG Sea transport by Ships, using New Technologies, for which a Gas Liquification Terminal is planned at Cyprus' Southern Coasts; **

- EU's "East-MED" Pipeline, (which can include also Egypt and/or Israel Gas Findings), due to link Cyprus' EEZ to Greece and Italy, etc., for which EU Commission has Funded a Feasibility Study with recent positive conclusions, and decided to include it in EU Energy Supply Strategy links. New French President Macron has already expressed his Support to such a plan, in a Reply that he gave to a relevant "Eurofora"s Question as Early as since 2015 in Strasbourg, when he was Minister of Economy, and just before visiting Israel and Later-on Italy, (See: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/frencheconomyministermacronegyptisraelcyprusgaspipelinebigchance.html ).

-  The "High-Tech" Idea to transform Oil/Gas Findings in Electricity on the spot, and Transport that to Europe's Center via an Under-Sea Cable, (as Israel has proposed already as early as since a Bilateral Summit in Cyprus, initially from 2011, while this was also considered at more Recent, Trilateral Summits in Greece, etc, during the latest few years).

 - Another, eventual, (at least partial and/or temporary) possibility might, perhaps, be to pass via Neighbouring Egypt's important (also Off-Shore) Gas Findings, probably at a point located between the Cyprus and Egypt's EEZ, according to some Press Reports.

+  At any case, anOther Important point is that the notoriously Strategic location of EU Member Cyprus, obviously makes also possible to eventually Link progressively Together, also More Oil/Gas Resources, coming via the Neighbouring Suez Channel, by Ships, and/or via Iraq and Syria, by renovated and/or new Pipelines, (as those who already existed in an Historic Past).In that case, Cyprus could become a unique GeoPolitical Hub and Crossroads for Manifold Energy Transports (even from More Sources than those Cited Above) Directly to Europe's center.

By a Coincidence, however, Suez Channel Energy Transports (including NLG) by Ships were notoriously Aggressed by "Piracy" attacks, mainly around Somalia's Coasts, which Boom at the Eve of Turkish Prime Minister (then) Erdogan's First Visit to Somalia on 2010 (which became Turkey's most important link to Africa, since then), and even More, immediately After that : 

 F.ex., according to EU's External Action Service's official Statistics, Exceptionally numerous "Piracy" Attacks multiply over X 300 % between 2008 and 2010, Growing from 14 to 47, as "Disruptions" explode from Zero (0) on 2008 up to 65 on 2010. Moreover, "Suspicious Events" Boom from only 8 on 2008, up to ...166 on 2011, as also the "Total Attacks" from only 24 on 2008, up to 176 on 2011 ! That's why EU's joint Defence Operation "Atalanta" was set up after 2008 and still works at the Somalian Coasts on 2018. 

+ By a 2nd Coincidence, it's, notoriously, also around 2011 that breaks out an unprecedented Bloody and Armed Unrest with many Violent Clashes in Syria, soon including various "Al Queda"-like, but, particularly "ISIL" Islamist Terrorists, (cowardly Targetting even innocent Civilian People), who Spread from Turkey's Borders (with notorious Logistical Support from Ankara), up to the Syrian/Iraq central borders, mainly Blocking the Area where the above-mentioned Iraq-Syria Pipelines, towards the Mediterranean Sea, could have crossed...

 ++ And, by a 3rd Coincidence, it's again on 2011 that, suddenly, an Unprecedented and still ill-elucidated, Deadly Explosion occurs near a Cyprus' Naval Base at its Southern Coasts, (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/sarkozycounseloronhelptoinvestigatecyprusexplosion.html, etc), Destroying an important, unique in the island, Modern Factory which was Able to Produce Electricity from Gas, (including NLG transported by Ships), the Same Year that was made in Cyprus the above-mentioned Israeli proposal for Gas to be Transformed in Electricity in order to be Directly Transported to Europe's Center via an Under-Sea Cable, (Comp Supra)...

=> Given all these Converging Facts, obviously, If Turkey might, eventually, have Seeked to Undermine all those 3 Ways to Add to EU Member Cyprus', Egypt's and Israel's Energy Sources, also those coming from a much Wider Area around them, (via Suez Channel, Syria, etc), in order to DIRECTLY Transport all of it to Europe's Center, they wouldn't have acted Otherwise... 

+++ And Nowadays, by Pushing to Delay even further, brutally Interrupt or Stop European/International Companies' Explorations for New Gas Findings in EU Member Cyprus' EEZone, as far as the General Interest of Europe is concerned, Turkey probably seeks to Undermine EU's Direct Energy Transport plans, (f.ex. an UnderSea Pipeline via Cyprus, Greece + Italy, or by Electricity Cable, and/or by NLG Technology Ships using a Liquefaction Terminal there, etc.: Comp. Supra), by making them appear, for the Time being, as Expensive compared to the Volume of Timely Gas Findings, in an Attempt to Impose anOther, InDirect Pipeline obliged to Zig-Zag through the Intermediary of Turkey's Asiatic areas : I.e. to Hinder Europe's Direct Energy Transport, and Submit the EU and others to well Known Risks of Anatolia plateau's Earthquakes, various Conflicts, Ankara's Financial Demands and usual political Blackmails...

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However, another Advantage for EU Member Cyprus, as far as potential Safety of EU Energy Supplies is concerned, is also the Fact that the Island hosts 2 Important British Military Bases, (which include Airports, to the point that not only German, but even USA's Defence Officers had reportedly examined, recently, Cyprus as a possible replacement of Turkey's old, Cold-War era's Incirlik Base, after the Problems it faced particularly since 2016, until now : 2018), as well as Naval Bases for EU-Countries-led UNO's Peace-keeping force for Lebanon-Israel Borders and Coasts, added also to Russian and French Naval Forces' facilities, etc. I.e. enough of what could make of that Strategically-located EU Member State a potential Stronghold, (in Addition to a Telecoms' Hub). 

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 + To this, Recent Findings Add a Growing Proof that what an Experienced French Scientist had told "Euforora"s co-Founder, as Early as, already since 2001 about the possibility for Nile River's Oil/Gas producing undersea deposits to have, progressively, Extended all along Egypt's and Israel's Coasts towards Lebanon, turning afterwards towards Cyprus' Southern Coasts, (in a kind of Circular, Clock-wise Manoeuver), might, indeed, be true.

So that, all that South-Eastern Mediterranean Sea's Energy Findings, might be interLinked between them, almost as those of America's Gulf of Mexico, (where Missisippi River Flows, in a Similar Geologic landscape). 

Such a Scientific Hypothesis had been described to us during Press Interviews made at an exceptionally important Geo-Science PanEuropean/International Conference organized by Strasbourg's University's "Earth Globe Institute" back on 2001, (Part of which we Published at "The Cyprus Weekly" then : See relevant Newspaper cut away, herewith), and was corroborated also by a Parallel series of original Scientific Research Publications elsewhere, as well as by many subsequent Facts, including Many Oil/Gas Findings until now (2018), have almost Proved that it was, indeed, Premonitory...

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ENI's CEO Claudio Descalzi, reportedly said, earlier this Week in Egypt, that he was "Surprized" by Turkish GunBoats threats, since Ankara had Not even Claimed that the Block Number 3 (which is located after Cyprus' Southern Coastline), might, perhaps, belong to Turkey, and it was undeniable that it belonged to "Cyprus' EEZ".

Indeed, Ankara Government's Senior Officials reportedly claimed, Now, that Cyprus' Block Number 3, as well as Many Others, would Belong also to a "Turkish Cypriot" Population that they had incited themselves to go at the Northen Territories of the Island, Occupied by the Turkish Army, since the 1974 Military Invasion, and Systematically Filled, Afterwards, with Many Non-Cypriot Turks, Colons from Anatolia plateau, who have been illegaly imported from the Occupying Power by Systematic Mass Transferts, (a "War Crime", according to the International Criminal Court's Statute, that Ankara Refused to Sign), and Most of whom illegaly Usurpated the Family Homes and other Private Properties Belonging to Greek Cypriot Refugees/Displaced Persons, according also to ECHR's established Case-Law, who are, nevertheless, Hindered by the Turkish Occupation Army to Return and/or Access their Belongings.

Given all these Gross illegalities, the International Community Never Recognized that illegal Turkish Occupation regime, which is Not a State, and, therefore, canNot become a normal Subject of International Law, being, therefore, Unable to revendicate any Separate "Rights" on Cyprus' Natural Resources, (and, at any case, certainly Not at all for those which are Located at the Southern part of the Island).

=> Any Other, Unilateral Claim by Ankara, in such circumstances, (as it does now), even with abusing of Brutal Violence, would, in fact, be equivalent, f.ex., to a Thief and/or Kidnaper, not only still Keeping his Pray, but also Adding Blackmail, in Attempts to Extort even More Money from his Victims !...

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However, the Government of Cyprus, (which is the only Recognized by the International Community), has already Agreed, that in case of ReUnification of the Island, the Country's Natural Resources will Benefit to All its Citizens, since they will be Propriety of the Central, Federal State, common to Both Greek and Turkish Cypriots. But, Despite an initially Important Progress, the Latest Efforts to find a Political Agreement for the Solution of Cyprus' issue, in 2016-2017 Talks under UN auspices, finally, Ankara's Government notoriously provoked a Deadlock, mainly by Refusing to Withdraw its Invasion/Occupation Troops when such an Agreement might Enter into Force, and, particularly, by insisting on Claims for more Unilateral Military Invasions of Cyprus, whenever Turkey might find it necessary, even in the Future...

But, at any case, Cyprus' President Anastassiades has already announced, just a few years ago, the creation of a Special Fund, where all eventual Revenues from possible Future Energy Sources' Exploitation, would be concentrated and used in a rational way, for the benefit of all Citizens of the Country, (i.e. including Turkish Cypriots). 

In Addition, Meanwhile, Nevertheless, Cyprus' Government does Not Exclude Turkish Cypriots from eventually coming back in the Free Areas of the Country, f.ex. in order to Find Work, Return to their Previous Houses, make Business and/or Invest, even receive an EU Passport by the National Public Authorities, as Cypriot Citizens, and/or Take Part to the Votes for Cyprus' Presidential and/or Parliamentary Elections, etc. Thus, already, Turkish Cypriots (Not Ankara-imported, illegal Settlers from Turkey's Anatolia : Comp. Supra) could really Benefit from any possible Oil-Gas Resources' Exploitation by the Government of the Country in the foreseable Future, in real Practice, even Before a ReUnification of the Island, in a Legal way, (Comp. Supra).

 + In Addition, however, Ankara seems also Anxious that the small Turkish Cypriot Community (18% of Cyprus' Total Population just Before the 1974 Turkish Military Invasion and Occupation of the Island's Northern Part), may, probably, be Attracted, by such possible Growing Energy Sources' Findings at the Southern Coasts of Cyprus, able to Fund a subsequent Economic Boom, so that Political Moves towards a Peaceful ReUnification of the Island, f.ex. through UN-sponsored inter-communal Talks, might, sooner or later, Win the Heart of the Majority of the People, and Help Solve the Cyprus' Issue.

 Something that Turkey, in fact, does Not seem to really Want, at all, apparently Prefering to Keep the Island practically Divided, with its smaller, but still important Northern Territories, always under illegal Military Occupation by Ankara's invasion troops...