Kasoulides in Rome; energy sector 'boosting relations'
Cypriot Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides
(ANSAmed) - ROME - EU Mediterranean countries should start consulting each other and working as a team on the issues affecting them the most, said Cyprus's Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides in an interview on Wednesday. The head of Cypriot diplomacy was in Rome to meet with his Italian counterpart, Emma Bonino, with whom he discussed EU issues as well as the humanitarian emergency in Syria and its potential consequences for immigration towards European coasts.
''It would be good if the EU Mediterranean members were to commence consulting among themselves, in the same way that Nordic members consult within the European Union, like the way that Visegrad countries (Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia, Ed.) consult within the European Union, the Benelux consult,'' the minister said in the interview with ANSAmed. ''So why not Mediterranean countries? It will not be an official kind of institution, but it will be a group of reflection and exchange of views, without being a front against anyone. It will not be a sort of lobby. But, on the other hand, (it will focus on) experiences, in the need to strike the right balance between fiscal consolidation and growth. How to face migration from North Africa and the Middle East, how we reinvigorate the Union for the Mediterranean. These are all of particular interest for us.''
''Now, in addition to this we have the serious problem of security and stability in the eastern Mediterranean. Cyprus is the most proximal European country in that part of the world, but Italy, Greece, (and) Malta are also facing first among others this situation. And this situation is becoming extremely alarming in Syria - particularly the humanitarian situation, the risk of people getting onto boats to escape from the war, and in this case coming first and most to Cyprus but then to other neighboring countries like Italy.'' On this issue, the minister went on to say that ''I heard some very interesting ideas (from Italian) Minister of Defense Mario Mauro, which, of course we will consult among ourselves (about) how we can deal with it''.
Italy and Cyprus enjoy excellent relations, which are likely to receive an extra boost from recent developments in the energy sector. ''ENI, as you know,'' Kasoulides said, ''has acquired three blocs from the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Cyprus and probably will negotiate for another two, which means that it will have the biggest share.'' ''We consider ENI a very experienced company, who knows how to handle natural gas in deep waters and knows the markets and how this can become a profitable venture - both for the company, for Cyprus and for Italy. So, this is another vehicle of getting Italy and Cyprus even closer together. In the past we had culture, tourism, trade, commonality of Mediterranean issues - but now we have something much, much more important, which is natural gas.
This is extremely important and is why I visited the headquarters of ENI today and was invited for lunch by the chairman of the company. Of course, I deal only with the geopolitics of the matter.'' In Kasoulides' view, Turkey's attitude on the EEZ has been unproductive, noting that Cyprus had acted in compliance with the UN Convention on the Laws of the Sea. Even though Turkey has not ratified the convention, he said, Cyprus had acted within its legal rights. He also noted that it seemed to him Turkey had tried to dissuade large corporations but had not succeeded, noting that ''we have ENI, Total and Noble Energy from Houston, Texas''. Kasoulides also expressed optimism on the Cypriot economy, which has been straining under a crisis for several months and whose program for economic restructuring is currently under the troika's magnifying glass.
''We are very optimistic that the results of this examination will be good,'' he said, ''because we are implementing the program as foreseen. The figures are better than those foreseen.
The impact following the bail-in into banks and taking depositors' money - which was a very serious event - overnight, despite this, the recession was foreseen to 8.7% and it's hardly 7%, which is better than reported so far.'' ''The same applies (to) the deficit, which is better than predicted.'' The minister said that ''what is important here is confidence, confidence (in) the banking system, which has received a blow during the 'haircut'.'' On the issue of the 'haircut', he said ''it was used as an experiment, and it is obvious that they now say that they will implement it elsewhere if the same situation appears elsewhere.
So, in my view, it is our (own) interests most - but also in those of our creditors - that the experiment succeeds.
Otherwise, how are we going to use it elsewhere? So I am sure that the Bank of Cyprus will be supported by the European Central Bank in order to make it a successful experiment.'' (ANSAmed) .
''It would be good if the EU Mediterranean members were to commence consulting among themselves, in the same way that Nordic members consult within the European Union, like the way that Visegrad countries (Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia, Ed.) consult within the European Union, the Benelux consult,'' the minister said in the interview with ANSAmed. ''So why not Mediterranean countries? It will not be an official kind of institution, but it will be a group of reflection and exchange of views, without being a front against anyone. It will not be a sort of lobby. But, on the other hand, (it will focus on) experiences, in the need to strike the right balance between fiscal consolidation and growth. How to face migration from North Africa and the Middle East, how we reinvigorate the Union for the Mediterranean. These are all of particular interest for us.''
''Now, in addition to this we have the serious problem of security and stability in the eastern Mediterranean. Cyprus is the most proximal European country in that part of the world, but Italy, Greece, (and) Malta are also facing first among others this situation. And this situation is becoming extremely alarming in Syria - particularly the humanitarian situation, the risk of people getting onto boats to escape from the war, and in this case coming first and most to Cyprus but then to other neighboring countries like Italy.'' On this issue, the minister went on to say that ''I heard some very interesting ideas (from Italian) Minister of Defense Mario Mauro, which, of course we will consult among ourselves (about) how we can deal with it''.
Italy and Cyprus enjoy excellent relations, which are likely to receive an extra boost from recent developments in the energy sector. ''ENI, as you know,'' Kasoulides said, ''has acquired three blocs from the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Cyprus and probably will negotiate for another two, which means that it will have the biggest share.'' ''We consider ENI a very experienced company, who knows how to handle natural gas in deep waters and knows the markets and how this can become a profitable venture - both for the company, for Cyprus and for Italy. So, this is another vehicle of getting Italy and Cyprus even closer together. In the past we had culture, tourism, trade, commonality of Mediterranean issues - but now we have something much, much more important, which is natural gas.
This is extremely important and is why I visited the headquarters of ENI today and was invited for lunch by the chairman of the company. Of course, I deal only with the geopolitics of the matter.'' In Kasoulides' view, Turkey's attitude on the EEZ has been unproductive, noting that Cyprus had acted in compliance with the UN Convention on the Laws of the Sea. Even though Turkey has not ratified the convention, he said, Cyprus had acted within its legal rights. He also noted that it seemed to him Turkey had tried to dissuade large corporations but had not succeeded, noting that ''we have ENI, Total and Noble Energy from Houston, Texas''. Kasoulides also expressed optimism on the Cypriot economy, which has been straining under a crisis for several months and whose program for economic restructuring is currently under the troika's magnifying glass.
''We are very optimistic that the results of this examination will be good,'' he said, ''because we are implementing the program as foreseen. The figures are better than those foreseen.
The impact following the bail-in into banks and taking depositors' money - which was a very serious event - overnight, despite this, the recession was foreseen to 8.7% and it's hardly 7%, which is better than reported so far.'' ''The same applies (to) the deficit, which is better than predicted.'' The minister said that ''what is important here is confidence, confidence (in) the banking system, which has received a blow during the 'haircut'.'' On the issue of the 'haircut', he said ''it was used as an experiment, and it is obvious that they now say that they will implement it elsewhere if the same situation appears elsewhere.
So, in my view, it is our (own) interests most - but also in those of our creditors - that the experiment succeeds.
Otherwise, how are we going to use it elsewhere? So I am sure that the Bank of Cyprus will be supported by the European Central Bank in order to make it a successful experiment.'' (ANSAmed) .
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