Diplomacy

Turkey threatens to send warships

ATHENS NEWS FRIDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2011

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Tensions rise in the east Med

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan receives a warm welcome in Egypt

TURKISH Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on September 15 that Turkish warships could be sent to the Eastern Mediterranean at any time and Israel could not do whatever it wants there, escalating a war of words over the 2010 killing of Turkish activists. Ties between the two regional powers have deteriorated sharply since Israeli naval commandos raided the Mavi Marmara, a Turkish ship carrying aid to the Palestinian Gaza Strip. Israel cannot do whatever it wants in the eastern Mediterranean. They will see what our decisions will be on this subject. Our navy attack ships can be there at any moment, Erdogan told a news conference shortly after arriving in Tunis. Asked if Turkey was prepared to protect any future aid ships, he said: On the point of navigation in international waters, we will ensure protection at any time of our ships, which can go to other places, not just Gaza. Ilana Stein, spokeswoman for Israels foreign ministry, said: We think that Israels relations with Turkey, heretofore good, are important, and we are not commenting on this or that statement. Turkey downgraded diplomatic ties with Israel and halted defence trade after the Jewish state confirmed last week it would not apologise for the raid on the Mavi Marmara, which had attempted to break Israels sea blockade of Gaza. In an interview last week with Al Jazeera television, Erdogan said the Israeli storming of the ship could have been grounds for war, but that Turkey had acted with patience. The prospect of a showdown at sea with Turkey, a Nato power and, like Israel, an ally of the United States, has rattled Israelis already on edge over upheaval in the Arab world and Irans nuclear programme. Washington has urged restraint. Erdogan, seeking to expand Turkeys regional influence, is on a tour of Egypt, Tunisia and Libya, where he has so far received an enthusiastic welcome. His criticism of Israel has helped to win him great popularity in Arab countries. (Reuters)

A vision of the future: Cyprus has expressed its intent to move ahead with natural gas exploration

Greece calls on Turkey to acknowledge reality and withdraw threats as Cyprus plans to drill for gas in eastern Mediterranean

REECE said this week that it expects Turkey to abide by international law regarding Cyprus intention to drill for gas off its coast by the end of the month. Turkey needs to acknowledge the reality, which is set out by international law, and act with clear-headedness and not contribute further to the creation of tension, said Greek foreign ministry spokesman Grigoris Delavekouras on September 15. He added that Cyprus, in agreement with its neighbours, has delineated its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) with Israel, stressing that Cyprus will go agead with the exploration and exploitation of its natural resources. This cannot be disputed by anyone, and is reflected in the statements of all the international factors that have interest in the matter. US-based energy company Nobel Energy plans to commence explorations at the end of the month for useable gas in Cyprus EEZspecifically Block 12 - an area located southeast of the island. According to estimates, there are 483 billion cubic metres of useable gas within Cypriot territorial waters. Ankara has strongly contested any move by Nicosia to extract gas. Turkey does not

formally recognise the island republic divided between the breakaway Turkishoccupied north and the internationally recognised south since 1974 as a consequence of a Turkish military invasion. Matters are further complicated by the fact that Nicosia is set to assume the rotating EU presidency in July 2012 for six months. Turkey has repeatedly threatened that its relations with the EU will be completely frozen unless there is a solution to the decades-old problem before Cyprus assumes the presidency. United Nations-sponsored

According to estimates, there are 483 billion cubic metres of useable gas within Cypriot territorial waters
talks between Cyprus and the leaders of the breakaway north have so far made little progress. The Cypriot conundrum has been further intensified since the rapid decline in IsraeliTurkish relations with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatening to send warships into the east Mediterranean. In response, Cyprus government Spokesman Stefanos Stefanou said on September 14 that Turkey must make a formal commitment to the EU that it will end

its provocations towards the Republic of Cyprus and stop obstructing Cypriot efforts in the field of energy. Meanwhile, on September 15, officials from Turkish-occupied Cyprus arrived in Ankara to hold talks on what action would be taken if Cyprus proceeds with its natural gas exploration in Block 12. Turkey has gone on the diplomatic offensive since a United Nations report was released on September 2 which concluded that Israeli commandos were within international law when they boarded the Gaza aide flotilla on 31 May 2010 in which there were nine Turkish fatalities. The report was supposed to fix already rocky Ankara-Tel Aviv relations but in practice had the opposite effect as it reported that Israel had not acted illegally but had instead showed excessive force. Turkey rejected the reports findings and Israels refusal to apologise for the deaths resulted in Ankaras expulsion of the Israeli ambassador and a deepening of geopolitical rivalries in the east Mediterranean basin. Shortly after the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador, Operation Barbarossa: Aegean Shield was implemented which aims to create a Turkish naval presence in the east Mediterranean. Erdogan said that our (Turkish) ships will display themselves more often in these waters. Constantine Callaghan

Sarkozy, Cameron hailed in Libya, offer help

NICOLAS Sarkozy (2nd R) and David Cameron (2nd L) landed in Libya to a heroes welcome on September 14, promising help for the new rulers French and British air power helped install and being told the favour may be repaid in deals on oil and reconstruction. Just three weeks after rebel forces backed by Nato bombers overran Muammar Gaddafis capital, French President Sarkozy and the British prime minister were met by the smiling leaders of the disparate coalition which overthrew him and took impromptu cheers from medical staff while visiting a hospital. At a news conference held under heavy security and the eyes of attack helicopters overhead, interim premier Mahmoud Jibril spoke of our thanks for this historic stance taken by the two European leaders, whose backing for the February uprising drew a hesitant United States and some Arab governments into a war that did not always look set to end well for the rebels. Both offered continued military support against Gaddafi loyalists holding substantial parts of the country as well as in the hunt for the fugitive strongman and others wanted for crimes against humanity. Sarkozy said he would raise the issue with neighbouring Niger, a former French colony where some of Gaddafis senior aides and one of his sons have sought refuge. This is not done. This is not over, Cameron said in pledging further military and other aid. There are still parts of Libya that are under Gaddafis control. Gaddafi is still at large and we must make sure that this work is completed. (Reuters)

Reuters