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Cyprus has been given a golden opportunity to push ahead with the second round of licensing of its 12 remaining blocks in the offshore Exclusive Economic Zone. Thanks to Turkey’s saber-rattling and threats of independent seismic surveys south of the island’s shores (and specifically within Noble Energy’s Block 12), Cyprus ought to proceed with the auction of at least a handful of the blocks as soon as the first samples from the current exploratory drilling come to surface.
A strategic selection of the new blocks could also mean engaging some of our European partners and other neighbours in such a way that would once and for all put an end to Ankara’s interference in our waters or in the eastern Mediterranean where it aspires to extend its hegemony to.
Surely, an investment by the likes of Gazprom would ensure some sort of Russian naval presence in the area, in order to safeguard Russian interests, if any offshore platform is threatened by Turkish navy patrols or exercises in the area.
On the other hand, ever since relations have cooled down over the Gaza killings or Turkish peace activists, Israel, too, would be unwilling to have a Turkish naval presence near its waters or even approaching rigs in the Leviathan and other gasfields in the area. The same would apply to the potential auctioning off of one of the blocks to Hellenic Petroleum or other Greek interests, effectively activating the Defence Dogma that remains on the level of exchange of patrols and joint exercises.
Finally, Cyprus could also up the stakes a bit. What with the economic crisis plaguing the Greek state, which will run out of sufficient funds to maintain an expensive navy and air force, Athens would be delighted to lease some of its vessels or aircraft to the National Guard, manned by Greek crews that would be offered voluntary redundancies or extended leave.
Perhaps initiating some sort of friction from our side for a change might also get the indifferent U.N., U.S. and Britain to get genuinely interested in the Cyprus problem and the resonance this has on regional issues.
