Increased US naval presence in Med is a ‘coincidence’

AN INCREASED US naval presence in the eastern Mediterranean just as petrol giant ExxonMobil embarks on fresh hydrocarbons surveying for the Greek Cypriots has been dismissed as coincidence.

News that a naval group of three amphibious ships and the 2,500-strong 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit had arrived in the Med sparked speculation this week that they were being sent in to protect the US energy giant’s vessels.

It comes after Turkish warships last month forced a drillship from the Italian firm Eni away from planned exploration in Block 3 of the area claimed by the Greek Cypriots as their exclusive economic zone (EEZ), leading to heightened tensions in the region.

However Turkish security forces said on Thursday: “The Greek Cypriots are trying to create a false impression . . . [and] these are planned exercises.”

Other reports said the bolstered American presence was “due to a planned exercise by the US and Israel” and “not directly linked” to Exxon exploration activities due to start tomorrow, until April 20.

The US firm and partners Qatar Petroleum are to operate in Block 10, which is located south of the island and does not overlap with the EEZ declared by the TRNC and Turkey.

Exxon is said to be sending two vessels with special robots to survey the best prospects for drilling due to begin in the second half of this year.

In a continuing war of words over Greek Cypriot hydrocarbon explorations, Foreign Minister Kudret Özersay said this week that “everyone accepts” that the island’s natural resources belonged to both Turkish and Greek Cypriots, and unilateral Greek Cypriot exploration “cannot be allowed”.

“The Greek Cypriot side says these resources also belong to Turkish Cypriots, however [we can only benefit] after a solution; or they say they will decide on when to drill, what company to use and how much of a share they will take, how much they will give us. To say this but also say that we are a partner to the resources is a contradictory stance,” he said.

Dr Özersay said “countless” protests, including letters from the TRNC and Turkey to the UN Secretary-General which were distributed at the Security Council, had culminated in the Turkish side having to “take action on the ground”.

He predicted that the “problem experienced” with Eni was now “set to repeat itself with other firms in the coming days”, and warned that while the Turkish side was ready for diplomacy and “open to agreement and dialogue”, if this was not reciprocated “we will use power, [and take] preventative action”.

He added: “Just as the Greek Cypriots are licensing one or more firms to undertake drilling and similar activities, the TRNC will [do likewise] in the near future.”