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Thursday, 18 April 2024
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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 11-09-21Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
[01] COMMERCE MINISTER - EU - DRILLINGMinister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism Praxoulla Antoniadou briefed her EU counterparts on the drilling to explore hydrocarbon reserves in Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).Houston-based Noble Energy, whose drilling rig is already in place, off the islands southern coast, has begun drilling in Cyprus EEZ. The company has a concession to explore for hydrocarbons in an offshore field, south of Cyprus, known as Block 12, or ``Aphrodite`` block. The Minister, who took part in the Informal Council of EU Minister of Energy in Poland on September 19 and 20, underlined the positive impact the exploitation of potential reserves will have on energy security in the EU. She also referred to President Demetris Christofias recent statements about the benefits the Turkish Cypriots will have from the exploitation of hydrocarbon reserves in a reunited Cyprus. Antoniadou noted that Turkey will also benefit from the solution of the Cyprus problem and called on Ankara to contribute towards the solution, on the basis of bizonal, bicommunal federation. The Minister urged Turkey, which aspires to become an EU member, to fulfill its obligations and respect Cyprus sovereign rights and its rights to sign bilateral agreements as well as the rights which derive from the Law of the Sea Convention. She said that Cyprus envisages peace and cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean and Turkey can become a peace partner. Turkey has warned that it could deploy warships in the Eastern Mediterranean in response to moves by the Republic of Cyprus to carry out exploratory drilling for natural gas or oil. Ankara has also said it may sign a bilateral agreement with the illegal Turkish Cypriot regime, in Turkish occupied Cyprus, if these plans go ahead. Nicosia has pointed out that the Republic is doing nothing more than exercising its sovereign rights as a nation. Cyprus has signed an agreement to delineate the Exclusive Economic Zone with Egypt and Israel with a view to exploit any possible natural gas and oil reserves in its EEZ. A similar agreement has been signed with Lebanon but the Lebanese Parliament has not yet ratified it. Energy Ministers discussed a Commission proposal on energy supply to the EU and international cooperation. On the sidelines of the Ministerial Council, Antoniadou met with Polish Finance Minister Waldemar Pawlak with whom she discussed matters related to EU Trio Presidency. Cyprus, an EU member since May 2004, will assume the six monthly rotating EU presidency in July 2012. The trio presidency also includes Poland and Denmark. [02] KASSINIS - DRILLINGUnder-sea drilling to explore any hydrocarbon reserves in Cyprus` Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) will enter the second stage on Wednesday evening, Director of the Energy Service at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Solon Kassinis has said.In an interview with the London Greek Radio (LGR), Kassinis said that US company `Noble Energy` has already begun exploration ``without any problems``, adding that the first stage of drilling has already been concluded. ``We have passed the first stage which included the first tubing of a 36 inches diameter. Tonight they will proceed to the second stage, to 900 metres. Everything is proceeding well and we wish and hope to have positive results as regards locating hydrocarbon deposits``, he stressed. He reiterated that any natural resources found in Cyprus EEZ would be to the benefit of all legitimate citizens of the Republic of Cyprus. Nobody questions the fact that this wealth would be to the benefit of all legitimate inhabitants of Cyprus. We have expressed this position several times, he underlined. Asked when the first results will be known, the Cypriot official said that according to the schedule this could take two to three months, or 73 days. [03] PRESIDENT - NEW YORK - MEETINGSThe latest developments in the Cyprus problem, Cyprus-Israel relations, drilling in Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone and regional concerns, have been discussed in a meeting Cyprus President Demetris Christofias held with the Executive Director of the American Jewish Committee David Harris and other Committee officials.According to reliable sources, the President briefed Committee members on the latest developments in Cyprus problem. They also discussed the latest developments after the decision of the Republic of Cyprus to begin exploratory drilling for natural gas and Turkeys threats. They also discussed the Middle East problem and the efforts to find a solution. The President met on Tuesday senior members of the editorial team of the Wall Street Journal and outlined his positions on the negotiations, the prospects for a solution and the negative stance of the Turkish side in the UN-led direct talks. President Christofias participated in a high level meeting of the UN Secretary General on Libya. US President Barak Obama, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan also participated in the meeting. After that President Christofias met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Late on Tuesday afternoon he held a meeting with the President of Kazakhstan Abishevich Nazarbayev. [04] ARCHBISHOP - GEORGIAArchbishop of Cyprus Chrysostomos II will pay an official visit to the Orthodox Church of Georgia, at the invitation of the Patriarch of Georgia Elias.The Archbishop and his escort will leave Cyprus Thursday and travel to Tbilisi via Athens. He will return to Cyprus on September 27. Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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