Cyprus News Brussels Edition
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CYPRUS NEWS BRUSSELS EDITION Monthly Bulletin March 2011 Issue No. 13 Covering the period 1-28 February EU internal energy market launched Editorial opinion Council of the European Union of the European Council The decisions of the European Council on energy constitute a clear political message that safe, secure, sustainable and aordable energy is a priority for the EU. They have put in place ambitious, but necessary, guiding principles which will dene the direction of the EU's energy policy up to 2020 and beyond. The elimination of energy isolation of all member states by 2015 constitutes a key element in achieving these goals. The European Council has made it abundantly clear that the EU will apply, in this respect, a comprehensive and inclusive approach. The Union is now committed to help develop the essential physical infrastructures and apply other policies and measures that will allow all member states to benet from a fully functioning, interconnected and integrated ŖEU leaders in Brussels... Setting energy policy goals for the future. internal energy market. When it comes to Cyprus, which faces The EU’s commitment to a comprehensive infrastructure in order to safeguard the EU’s energy isolation due to its geographical energy policy was underlined by the 27 energy security. He referred to the particular position, this commitment will, most probably, Heads of State during the European Council situation of islands, such as Cyprus, which need to be translated into special measures which was convened by President Herman face isolation in terms of energy. “It is for and necessary adjustments. Tackling the Van Rompuy in Brussels on 4 February. these reasons”, noted the President, “that technical barriers and other challenges in order Attended by President Demetris Christoas, we believe that the EU approach must be for Cyprus to be fully integrated in the internal the gathering also dealt with innovation and inclusive and comprehensive so that all energy market and share in the added value the member states fully enjoy the benets this will bring to European citizens, is indeed the dramatic events in Europe’s southern a daunting task. That is why the commitment neighbourhood. stemming from these policies”. of the European Council is of fundamental On energy, the European Council agreed Cyprus: The current energy picture importance, giving a clear message that we on a number of priority actions to promote can rely on the collective eort of the Union in growth, job creation and competitiveness, Cyprus is heavily dependent on imported order to full these objectives. including the completion of the internal oil for its energy supply (95 per cent in In terms of energy eciency, Cyprus market by 2014 so as to allow gas and 2009), lacks interconnections to European is committed to the 20 per cent target set electricity to ow freely across the EU. It or other energy networks and has no under the EU2020 Strategy. However, the also took the important decision that no indigenous energy sources except for a road towards achieving this goal is bumpy, member state should remain isolated from small contribution from renewable sources. to say the least. We currently face obstacles European gas and electricity networks after In 2009 the energy importation cost was in developing renewable energy sources, 2015. €1 billion, representing 19 per cent of the especially in the production of biofuels. Also, The Heads of State armed that the 20 country’s total import cost. This gure the use of solar energy must be explored per cent energy eciency target by 2020 translated to a decit of 4 per cent in the further, before it can become a serious must be delivered and that the EU and its current account balance of 2009, compared alternative energy source. member states will promote investment in with a no oil import scenario. It has therefore A key measure for Cyprus will, renewables, as well as safe and sustainable set energy eciency as a top priority. undoubtedly, be the introduction of natural low carbon technologies. They also Cyprus is currently in the process of gas in power generation. In this respect, the developing renewable energy sources. recent ndings regarding oil and gas reserves recognised the need for better co-ordination within our exclusive economic zone open of EU and member states’ activities with a However, in doing so, it faces a number of up new possibilities and, once extraction of view to ensuring consistency and coherence serious obstacles, mainly in the production natural gas becomes a reality for Cyprus, we in the EU’s external relations with the key of biofuels. This is due to the limited will be able to attain our objectives in this eld. energy producer, transit and consumer availability of suitable agricultural land, In line with the ambitious goals set by countries. water scarcity and high dependence the European Council, we are committed to President Christoas expressed full on imports to satisfy the indicative and proceed with steady steps into the future. support for the objectives of ceasing mandatory targets, which are imported at a very high cost that is much higher than that Ambassador Andreas D. Mavroyiannis energy isolation of all member states by Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the EU 2015 and materialising the appropriate of imported oil. Southern Neighbourhood crisis Cyprus settlement talks Turkish Cypriot protests continue Offshore gas extraction expected Cyprus’ economic recovery EU-Turkey readmission agreement Anti-Turkey rallies Crisis in EU’s Southern Neighbourhood in occupied area The Cyprus Government, in co-ordination to tackle illegal immigration ows, whilst with its EU partners, continued to follow considering humanitarian aspects. the unfolding events in North Africa and the Furthermore, at a meeting of EU Foreign gather pace Middle East, taking action whenever it was Ministers in Brussels on 21 February, Foreign The mass demonstrations staged by trade deemed necessary. At the forefront of the Minister Markos Kyprianou stressed that unions and opposition parties in the Government’s eorts was the oer to help the EU should support the democratic Turkish-occupied area from late January in foreign nationals eeing from the violence governments that may emerge in the protest against austerity and privatisation in Egypt. The Cypriot authorities, in co- Middle East and North Africa. He also joined measures introduced at the behest of Turkey ordination with Greece and Germany, also with his counterparts in France, Greece, continued in February. The Turkish Cypriot took action to ensure that Cypriot nationals Malta, Slovenia and Spain in writing to protesters demanded the recognition of civil in Libya were able to leave the country. High Representative for Foreign Aairs and labour rights as laid down in European On 23 February Interior Minister Neoclis and Security Policy Catherine Ashton to and international conventions as well as a Sylikiotis ew to Rome for a meeting with stress the need to fully utilise the European settlement of the Cyprus problem and the his counterparts from France, Greece, Italy, Neighbourhood Policy and the Union for the reunication of the island. Malta and Spain to consider the political Mediterranean in the EU’s response during President Demetris Christoas on 13 upheavals in North Africa. The Ministers the political transition and ongoing reforms February urged Turkey to listen to the voice adopted a declaration saying that “the in the aected regions. of the Turkish Cypriots and to withdraw its ongoing events in North Africa represent zA resolution condemning the use troops from Cyprus so that Greek Cypriots deep and dramatic social and institutional of violence against pro-democracy and Turkish Cypriots can decide freely on changes, which cause profound concern demonstrators in Arab countries, especially their common future. Expressing concern about the possible eects on our countries Libya, was adopted unanimously by the about what is happening to the Turkish and on the entire EU”. Cyprus House of Representatives on 24 Cypriot community in the occupied area, he In this context, the Rome meeting February. The resolution urged all sides in noted that the Turkish Cypriots are lawful called for urgent measures aimed at Libya to enter into dialogue with the aim citizens of the Republic of Cyprus with the tackling the ow of immigrants and asylum of achieving full respect for human rights same rights as the Greek Cypriots, Maronites, seekers. The joint communiqué also noted as laid down in international conventions. Armenians and Latins. that democratic, social and economic It declared its support for “the inalienable The popular unrest in the Turkish- improvement in the neighbouring region is right of peoples to demonstrate their will” occupied area is set to continue. Further crucial. Mr Sylikiotis told the meeting that and stressed that “violence is not the answer protest actions were planned for early March EU members should co-ordinate eorts to demonstrations”. in deance of the occupation regime’s disapproval. UN parameters for Cyprus rearmed Gas extraction President Demetris Christoas and Turkish underlined that “the proposals of the Greek Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu held further Cypriot side are always within the framework sessions of UN-sponsored negotiations on of the UN Security Council resolutions and expected to start a Cyprus settlement in Nicosia on 9, 17 and are based on the agreed basis for a solution 28 February. These followed the tripartite of a bicommunal, bizonal federation with within a year meeting between the two Cypriot leaders political equality...for one state with a single and the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon sovereignty, a single citizenship and a single The extraction of natural gas from one of in Geneva on 26 January, during which an international personality.” the blocks in the Cypriot exclusive economic intensication of the negotiating process Speaking after his meeting with Mr zone (EEZ) by the US Noble Energy company was agreed.