[Slonopotam845]

From news article:
Russia has sent two nuclear-powered submarines to patrol Eastern Mediterranean waters around Cyprus and enforce the island's right to explore for undersea oil and gas in its territorial seas, according to information from Defencenet.gr, citing a Russian FM spokesman.

Alexander Lukashevich said that Russia supports Cyprus and guarantees its security if it is threatened: "Under the UN Convention on International Law, among 162 other signatory states, including Cyprus, each state has sovereign rights in its EEZ for exploring, exploiting and protecting both live and non-living natural resources, including water, the seabed and subsoil," said Lukashevich in comments made on August 19th and reported by Defencenet.gr (in Greek).

The submarines are due in early September and are being interpreted as a clear warning to Turkey to stay away from Noble Energy's drilling sites in Block 12. Noble is set to start exploring for undersea gas at the beginning of October along with Israeli energy company DELEK, which has reached an agreement with Noble Energy to share in its licensing deal with Cyprus, reported Globes.co.il.

Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis just wrapped up a visit to Israel to discuss undersea hydrocarbon exploration with President of Israel Shimon Peres, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman. Israel and Cyprus' interests are closely aligned after the two countries signed an agreement delimiting their maritime borders in late 2010. The agreement also led to cooperation on undersea reserves exploitation and closer diplomatic relations, with Peres expected to visit Cyprus in the near future.

Turkey has also not yet commented on the development and is one of the countries which has not signed the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas[*], which has been in force since 1994. There are 162 countries that have ratified the Convention, including Cyprus and Greece.

[Peptobismol]

Oh yeah. Russia sends two subs to protect Cyprus to dig into deep waters with an American company and produce gas that would harm Russian energy exports. World is a funny place.If, Russia seriously sends there subs it means they are trying to justify their existence in med. sea. This will get the things more hairy between, Nato, US, Israel, Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, EU; who knows maybe even Japan?!

[Raj_Copi_Jin]

Good for them lets hope that they sink the decadent Turkish Fleet, NATO should have been disbanded when the Warsaw Pact was !

[Paul Bunyan]

Decadent Turkish fleet has kicked your arse really bad in ww1 if I remember right. Not only yours but entire Anzacs eh? (:

[brraverishhh]

[insults removed by moderator]

After all, outcome of the turkish independence war is rock solid; a strong secular republic.. Technically Turks fought against Entire Britain, New Zealand, Australia, India (Anzac), Italy, France, Greece and internal rebellion. So, stop talking about kicking "stinky tuchis" and hey, this is not one of your ultra right wing nationalist forum.

[Ifroham4]

Do we need to send for Hillary Clinton?

[brraverishhh]

[Quote of deleted message removed by moderator]

....and, ladies and gentleman, let the inconsequence take over.

Do we need to send for Hillary Clinton?

Her presence doesn't make sense. She shouldn't run for president.

Back to topic, common sense says Russia doesn't send subs to protect Cyprus (which isn't even confirmed by Russia).

[tgs]

Her presence doesn't make sense. I was meaning to sort out you and Putilov ;P

[doctorzlo]

I was meaning to sort out you and Putilov ;P

If they cannot discuss this topic without the insults, I'm locking this thread. Stay on topic and stop trying to antagonize each other.

[Lt_Apple]

I was meaning to sort out you and Putilov ;P

Ha ha! Got it late but good one!

[radikal]

http://mobile.dw-world.de/english/ua...2629-1433.html

Turkey sent a vessel into the eastern Mediterranean in search of gas stores on Friday, days after it warned Cyprus not to go ahead with its own gas exploration activities in Israeli waters.
Turkey contests a Cypriot-Israeli accord signed last year to create an exclusive economic zone in the waters between them.
In retaliation, Turkey and the Turkish-Cypriot administration signed their own continental shelf agreement on Wednesday, permitting the state-run Turkish Petroleum Corporation to begin exploration north of the divided island.
Ankara argues that Nicosia should not tap resources in the region until the decades-long standoff between Cyprus' Turkish north and Greek south is resolved. It says the spoils of such resources should be shared between both communities.

[Lt_Apple]

Can somebody write what is Lebanon's position here? I can't find much about Lebanon's opinion.