The Eastern Mediterranean is no longer in the spot light of the public opinion. More important and pressing events such as the death of Gaddafi in Libya, the earthquake in Van, Turkey left the guess for oil in the Eastern Mediterranean in the shadows.
I think all actors of this quest are happy from this fact as they have more room for maneuver when everybody is looking somewhere else.
Turkey continues to look for hydrocarbon reserves in the Eastern Mediterranean. According to news reports a third ship R/V Oceanic Challenger will join the old and reliable R/V K Piri Reis and R/V Bergen Surveyor. The R/V Oceanic Challenger is rented by TPAO and will search for hydrocarbon reserves in a 1.100 square kilometers area off the coast of Alanya, Turkey.
Israel has sent warplanes and military helicopters for a “routine military exercise between the allies”. The Israeli diplomatic sources denied the allegations of Turkish media that these exercises were intended to send a message to Turkey. Air force exercises over our allies’ air space are routine for the Israeli military and there is no political agenda behind this,” an Israeli source said.
The Israeli embassy yesterday downplayed reports in the press claiming that military exercises were being conducted in Cyprus’ airspace in order to send a message to Turkey.
“Air force exercises over our allies’ air space are routine for the Israeli military and there is no political agenda behind this,” an Israeli source said.
Daily Phileleftheros said yesterday that Israel and Cyprus wanted to send a strong message to Turkey and were collaborating on military exercises.
This source seems to ignore the fact that Cyprus has no air force!
Greek Cypriot President Demetris Christofias canceled his visit to the drilling platform «Noble Homer Ferrington» of Noble Energy in the “Plot 12”, due to his busy schedule.
The devastating earthquake in Van caused a temporary break in the diplomatic struggle between Turkey, Israel and Greece and could lead to a earthquake diplomacy like the one in 1999.
Israel offered humanitarian help and any help possible, anywhere in Turkey and at any time.
President Shimon Peres called Turkish President Abdullah Gul and offered his condolences following the 7.3 magnitude quake that struck southeastern Turkey earlier Sunday, that may have claimed the lives of up to 1,000 people.
“Speaking as a human being, a Jew and an Israeli who remembers and is aware of the depth of the historic relations between our two countries, I extend condolences on behalf of the entire (Israeli) people,” Peres said.
Peres added that “in this difficult hour, the State of Israel is ready to offer any assistance possible, anywhere in Turkey and at any time.”
Greece stated that she too was ready to provide all possible assistance to the Turkish authorities after a devastating earthquake that hit the Van region
Greece is prepared to provide all possible assistance to the Turkish authorities after a devastating earthquake that hit the Van region of the neighbouring country shortly after noon on Sunday, Greek foreign minister Stavros Lambrinidis told his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu in a telephone call later in the day.
Lambrinidis expressed his deepest condolences and the Greek people’s support for the Turkish people, and informed Davutoglu of the Greek citizens protection ministry’s readiness to provide all possible assistance to the Turkish authorities in dealing with the disaster.
Anybody who thinks that this dispute over the hydrocarbons is limited to Turkey, Greece and Israel is a fool. At a time when all governments are desperate to balance their budgets the real or perceived revenues from selling any hydrocarbon resources, puts people into a state of hysteria even countries with no major hostility in their history.
In the case of Italy, tensions with Malta have risen following the island’s publication of a tender for oil exploration in the Ionian Sea – in areas claimed by Italy. Meanwhile, Malta is also in dispute with Libya over its southern maritime borders. Furthermore, environmental concerns over a possible oil spill in the Mediterranean’s closed sea could also hamper upstream activity in the region.
With recent discoveries in the eastern Mediterranean and further ongoing exploration already taking place offshore Italy, Albania, Croatia, Montenegro (and possibly Greece in the near future), we believe that exploration on Italy’s side of the Ionian Sea is likely to attract significant interest. Nevertheless, this raises political tensions and a great deal of diplomacy will be required if serious disputes are to be resolved or avoided.
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For the previous updates of Eastern Mediterranean:
The Situation In The Eastern Mediterranean (Part 4)
The Situation In The Eastern Mediterranean (Part 3)
The Situation In The Eastern Mediterranean (Part 2)
The Situation In The Eastern Mediterranean (Part 1)
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