The EU can get angry too, as it turns out

At a meeting on Thursday afternoon in Brussels with President of Cyprus Demetris Christofias, President of the Socialists Group at the European Parliament Martin Schulz was asked to comment on Turkey`s recent behavior as regards the Cyprus issue and the threats Ankara has launched against Cyprus` sovereign right to explore and exploit any hydrocarbon reserves in its Exclusive Economic Zone, Schulz said “I was angry and I told it to the Turkish Minister of EU Affairs Egemen Bagis“.


Earlier in September, asked if the drilling for Hydrocarbons off shore of Cyprus would decrease reliance on Russia, Schulz said in an interview at the European Parliament in Strasbourg that diversification of energy supply is a co-element of the EU energy strategy. “It’s not only Cyprus. We need gas imports from northern Africa, oil imports from northern Africa, we’re in a close co-operation with Algeria, for example, for the gas fields so I think it’s reasonable and it is needed to look if Cyprus has gas fields,” Schulz said.

“The European Union to be independent must be carefully to spread the energy supplies so you are right and the question is right we should not be dependent neither from one side – Russia for example – nor exclusively from Northern Africa. Therefore, ‘yes’ it is on our own interest that Turkey is looking behind the possibility to get gas in this area,” Schulz said.

Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 11-12-08
Schulz slams Turkey as Cyprus drills for gas | New Europe 1/Oct/2011