Sen. Menendez Says East Med Act Ties U.S., Greece, Cyprus Closer - THE NATIONAL HERALD

December 21, 2019

WASHINGTON – With Turkey claiming seas around Cyprus and Greek islands, U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, lauded Congress’ approval of the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act he said has brought “a new day in Greek-American relations.”

He was a co-author of the measure and an ally of Greece and Cyprus during increasingly tense relations with Turkey, which is drilling for oil and gas off the island and wants to do the same off Greek islands.

Speaking to Greece’s state-run Athens-Macedonia News Agency (ANA-MPA) he said that, “I felt that we were in a moment in which the stars were aligned. I think there is a growing recognition of the importance of Greece and Cyprus along with Israel as a new strategy for the Eastern Mediterranean.

Malcolm Hoenlein says his role with Israeli gas giant is completely transparent - THE TIMES OF ISRAEL

17 March 2018, 4:29 am

Ben Sales
After disclosure of his dual roles, US Jewish leader probed for more information on possible conflicts of interest

Photo: Malcolm Hoenlein, center, the executive vice president of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, and Stephen Greenberg, right, its chairman, meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, February 9, 2016. (Courtesy of Conference of Presidents via JTA)

NEW YORK (JTA) — Malcolm Hoenlein, who is the professional head of one of American Jewry’s most influential organizations and who sits on the board of a large Israeli energy company, told JTA he sees no conflict between those roles.

Hoenlein is executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, an umbrella organization that speaks for over 50 Jewish groups on foreign policy, including issues related to Israel. Since June 2017, he has also been on the board of directors of Delek Drilling, a private company that is a major stakeholder in Israel’s large offshore natural gas fields.

Members of US Congress urge Tillerson to take strong stance on Turkish threats against Cypriot EEZ - CYPRUS MAIL

1 JULY, 2017
By Apostolis Zoupaniotis

Thirty-six members of the US House of Representatives encouraged US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to continue the active engagement by the State Department in the Eastern Mediterranean, including against Turkish threats concerning the Cypriot Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

In a letter, the Representatives urged Tillerson to maintain a strong stance against rhetoric and provocations that threaten the spirit of cooperation and progress that has emerged in the region in recent years.

On July 13 energy giant Total is scheduled to begin exploratory drilling off Cyprus.

“We are writing to encourage continued active engagement by the State Department in the Eastern Mediterranean, and in particular to urge a strong stance against rhetoric and provocations that threaten the spirit of cooperation and progress that has emerged in the region in recent years,” the letter said.

Anastasiades to meet Pence at the White House - CYPRUS MAIL / CNA

US Vice President Pence

June 3, 2017
CNA News Service

President Nicos Anastasiades will meet next week with US Vice President Mike Pence. According to well-informed sources in Washington, the meeting will take place on Thursday, June 8, at 2pm local time (6pm GMT).

Last February, the president accepted an invitation to address the American Jewish Committee’s Global Forum, on June 5. At the same time, Nicosia sought to arrange a meeting between Anastasiades and President Donald Trump, as well as with Pence. The last time a

President from Cyprus visited the White House was in 1996.
CNA said a meeting with Trump should not be ruled out while another possibility is that the US President will briefly attend the Anastasiades – Pence meeting.

Energy cooperation can serve as an incentive to solve the Cyprus issue, President says - FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE / CNA

FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE•
Sunday, 25 September, 2016

Cyprus' relations with Israel and trilateral synergies that have developed constitute a shield of security and stability, President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades stressed whilst addressing the American Jewish Committee Award Presentation, in New York.

He pointed out that energy is one of the founding pillars of the trilateral synergies which are of inclusive nature and that energy cooperation can serve as a perfect incentive for the resolution of the Cyprus problem.

On Friday the American Jewish Committee (AJC) bestowed upon President Anastasiades the "Light Unto The Nations” Award, attributed to personalities who have been tested and proved themselves as regards their sincere and genuine friendship towards the State of Israel.

Government Spokesman addresses AJC, noting strategic partnership of Cyprus and Israel - CYPRUS MAIL / CNA

JUNE 7TH, 2016

Cyprus and Israel are strategic partners and are building on cooperation mechanisms to address common challenges, Government Spokesman Nikos Christodoulides said, addressing an event of the American Jewish Committee in Washington.

Christodoulides addressed one of the conference’s fora, together with Israel’s consul in New York, Amir Sagie, who referred to the importance of building strategic alliances with Israel’s neighbors, especially Cyprus.

Energy Minister: Cyprus' natural gas project cannot become Turkey's hostage | Famagusta Gazette

Energy Minister: Cyprus' natural gas project cannot become Turkey's hostage

Lakkotrypis expressed satisfaction with the results of his contacts both in Washington and New York.

BY APOSTOLIS ZOUPANIOTIS IN NEW YORK • Saturday, 14 September, 2013

ENERGY MINISTER George Lakkotrypis has stressed that the whole project for the drilling and exploitation of hydrocarbons discovered in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) cannot become Turkey`s hostage.

During his visit to the United States, the minister held meetings with US Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz and State Department officials, while he delivered speeches at think tanks and had meetings with members of the Congress, the Jewish lobby and members of the Greek-American community.

Lakkotrypis expressed satisfaction with the results of his contacts both in Washington and New York.

“We basically explained what we are doing in the Eastern Mediterranean, what Cyprus is doing with regards to exploration, exploitation of hydrocarbons. I have to say that we had some excellent meetings including what I consider the highlight of meeting with the Department of Energy and the Secretary of Energy himself, Mr. Moniz,” he said.

Speaking on Thursday evening, at an event organized at Marsh USA Inc. premises in Manhattan, Lakkotrypis stressed that Cyprus’ vision is to become an energy centre in the Eastern Mediterranean and contribute to the geopolitical stability and economic development of the region.

Responding to a question by the audience, he said that the recovery of Cyprus’ economy must not depend by the natural gas exploitation and the Cyprus government is doing everything possible for the recovering of the economy, focusing on the sectors of tourism and services.

He also noted that the issue of natural gas exploitation is not related to the talks for a Cyprus settlement, expected to begin in October, because then Cyprus would become Turkey’s hostage for another 39 years.

Lakkotrypis stressed that while the settlement of the Cyprus problem is a top priority for the Cyprus government, the government must at the same time proceed with the hydrocarbons research and exploitation project, irrelevant of the course of the negotiations on the Cyprus problem.

On Friday Lakkotrypis visited the New York Stock Exchange and had meetings with members of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and its Executive Director David Harris and members of the New York Energy Forum, as well as with the Director of the Global Energy GME Group.

On Thursday he had a series of meetings with organizations and companies dealing with energy issues, New York based think tanks, New York state officials and the media.

The Minister also had a meeting with members of the World Policy Institute, whom he informed on the natural gas issue.

In his statements to the press, Lakkotrypis noted that he discussed with US Secretary of Energy “numerous ways that we can collaborate, be it renewable sources of energy or another element which is of interest to all the countries in the Eastern Mediterranean which are environmental protection and ways and processes that we can develop in order to respond potential environmental disasters.”

“We’ve agreed that we will take this conversation further to see how the US can support us in a couple of these endeavors we have undertaken,” he added.

“I could see that with all the stakeholders that we talked to everyone was pretty excited to what is going on in the Eastern Mediterranean and want to hear more and want to be updated and stay up to date,” he stressed.

Asked about the Liquefied Natural Gas (LGN) facility, Lakkotrypis said “the LNG facility is being built with the potential to go to three trains and potentially more. We’ve marked down the land for in essence three trains. Now, once Israel makes its decisions and should it decide that it would liquefy in Cyprus then we are looking at a pipeline on shore of Cyprus where it will be liquefied and shipped to its destination,” he noted.

Asked about his meeting with Senator Menendez, Lakkotrypis said they discussed about Syria, noting that “the Senator is interested to see how we can bring about stability, general stability in the region, within the context of Syria as well.”

“So we discussed with the Senator what we are doing in Cyprus, how we envision the region and how we hope that the discoveries in this new wealth can bring about prosperity and stability which will in turn attract foreign direct investments and further development growth,” he added.

He said that “the Senator was really interested to hear whether the operations that we are doing in offshore drilling have been impacted by the Syrian situation and my answer was no. Of course you might have technical difficulties if you have military operations but so far, despite the congestion of warships in the Eastern Mediterranean we haven’t had any significant impact,” Lakkotrypis added.  — (KYPE)

Link to article: http://famagusta-gazette.com/energy-minister-cyprus-natural-gas-project-cannot-become-turkeys-hostage-p20600-69.htm