Israel’s apology to Turkey was anticipated, says minister

COMMERCE Minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis said yesterday that Israel’s apology to Turkey over the raid on the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara had been anticipated.

Lakkotrypis is due to visit Israel next month, ahead of a visit by President Nicos Anastasiades in May.

“I assure you we are monitoring the situation and we will secure our state’s sovereign rights,” Lakkotrypis said.

The head of the Hydrocarbons State Company (KRETYK), Charles Ellinas, said that Israel has taken no decisions.

“I was in Israel last week and over there they examine all options…  there is a chance they would sell natural gas to Turkey but at the same time they are looking into exporting to Cyprus,” Ellinas said.

Ankara Anatolia news agency has quoted Turkish energy minister Taner Tildiz as saying Turkey would suspend projects with Italian energy giant ENI in retaliation against the company’s involvement in oil and gas drilling off the coast of Cyprus.

The ENI/Kogas consortium is due to begin drilling for hydrocarbons in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone by early next year.

ENI is also one of the partners in a pipeline project – the Samsun-Ceyhan – project from the Black Sea to the southern Mediterranean Turkish coast aiming to deliver Russian and Kazakh crude oil to Turkey.

‘We have decided not to work with ENI in Turkey, including suspending their ongoing projects,’ Taner Yildiz said.

But Fox Business said that ENI chief, Paolo Scaroni, told reporters on the sidelines of a conference in Rome that the Samsun-Ceyhan project was not viable as yet.

“This project is dormant as it isn’t profitable as long as the oil tanker rates to transport crude through the Bosphorous Straits remain at these (low) levels,” Scaroni was quoted as saying, adding that he was sorry about Turkey’s statements and was “hopeful” they could “find an accord”.

via Israel’s apology to Turkey was anticipated, says minister – Cyprus Mail.