ΓΡΑΦΕΙΟ ΤΥΠΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΠΛΗΡΟΦΟΡΙΩΝ
01/03/2017 12:08
O Πρόεδρος της Δημοκρατίας κ. Νίκος Αναστασιάδης χαιρέτισε σήμερα τις εργασίες του 8ου Μεσογειακού Φόρουμ για το Πετρέλαιο και το Φυσικό Αέριο που πραγματοποιείται στη Λευκωσία.
Στον χαιρετισμό του στο Φόρουμ, ο Πρόεδρος της Δημοκρατίας είπε, μεταξύ άλλων, ότι «σήμερα κλείνουν τέσσερα χρόνια από την ανάληψη της Προεδρίας μας. Την 1η Μαρτίου του 2013, η Κυβέρνηση μας ανέλαβε κάτω από πολύ δεινές οικονομικές συνθήκες αλλά μέσω της προσήλωσης μας στην εφαρμογή σειράς πολύ αναγκαίων μεταρρυθμίσεων έχουμε επιτυχώς οδηγήσει την οικονομία σε αποκατάσταση και ανάπτυξη.
Κυρίαρχος στόχος ανάμεσα στους σημαντικούς στόχους που είχαμε θέσει είναι η αειφόρος ανάπτυξη των αποθεμάτων υδρογονανθράκων της νήσου μας, εν μέρει με την εδραίωση των απαραίτητων περιφερειακών συνεργασιών και συνεργειών».
Ο Πρόεδρος Αναστασιάδης εξέφρασε ικανοποίηση για τα σημαντικά βήματα που ήδη έχουν γίνει στον τομέα των υδρογονανθράκων στην Κύπρο, εκφράζοντας παράλληλα την πεποίθηση ότι θα υπάρξει επιτυχία τόσο σε ό,τι αφορά τη διασφάλιση της ενεργειακής ασφάλειας της χώρας όσο και του δικαιώματος του κυπριακού λαού, Ελληνοκυπρίων και Τουρκοκυπρίων, να έχει ένα ευήμερο μέλλον μέσω των εξαγωγών φυσικού αερίου και μέσω μιας ειρηνικής, δίκαιης και συνολικής λύσης του Κυπριακού.
Επίσης, ο Πρόεδρος αναφέρθηκε εκτενώς στους τρεις γύρους αδειοδότησης στην κυπριακή ΑΟΖ και εξέφρασε την πεποίθηση ότι το 2017 θα υπάρξει περαιτέρω δραστηριότητα από τους αδειοδοτούμενους, με εντατικά διερευνητικά προγράμματα.
«Επαναλαμβάνω την ετοιμότητα της Κύπρου να διευκολύνει την περιφερειακή συνεργασία που απαιτείται για την αποτελεσματική αξιοποίηση των αποθεμάτων υδρογονανθράκων στην Ανατολική Μεσόγειο», επεσήμανε ο Πρόεδρος Αναστασιάδης.
Πρόσθεσε ότι «ως κράτος μέλος της ΕΕ που πάντοτε διατηρεί εξαίρετες σχέσεις με όλους τους γείτονες μας – εκτός από μια συγκεκριμένη χώρα για την οποία προσβλέπουμε να οικοδομήσουμε παρόμοιους δεσμούς με αυτούς που μοιραζόμαστε με τους υπόλοιπους γείτονες μας – πιστεύουμε ακράδαντα ότι η Κύπρος είναι η κατάλληλη για να καταστεί γέφυρα στις διαφορές της ταραχώδους περιοχής μας, διασφαλίζοντας έτσι τις σημαντικές ποσότητες φυσικού αερίου που έχουν ανακαλυφθεί όπως και τις μελλοντικές ανακαλύψεις, και μπορεί να λειτουργήσει ως καταλύτης στη δημιουργία συνθηκών ειρήνης και σταθερότητας».
Τέλος, εξέφρασε την πεποίθηση ότι «μέσα από τον σεβασμό, από πλευράς όλων, προς το διεθνές δίκαιο και τα εθνικά κυριαρχικά δικαιώματα, όλες οι χώρες στην περιοχή μας και πέραν αυτής, περιλαμβανομένης της Τουρκίας, μπορούν να επωφεληθούν από τη συνεργασία και τη δημιουργία ενός κλίματος σταθερότητας που θα διασφαλίσει τις επενδύσεις δισεκατομμυρίων στον τομέα της Ενέργειας».
ΠΗΓΗ:http://www.pio.gov.cy/MOI/pio/pio2013.nsf/All/58C5652D4E25E68EC22580D60037B613?OpenDocument&L=G
01/03/2017 11:05
Speech by the President of the Republic, Mr Nicos Anastasiades, at the 8th Mediterranean Oil and Gas Forum 2017
I feel truly privileged for this excellent opportunity to briefly outline the hydrocarbons development strategy of the Republic of Cyprus to the distinguished audience of the 8th Mediterranean Oil and Gas Forum.
Thus, from the outset I would like to sincerely thank the organizers of the event and, of course, warmly welcome to Cyprus all delegates who are joining us from abroad.
Today marks the four-year anniversary of our administration. On March 1st 2013, our Government took office under very dire economic conditions and through our commitment to implementing a series of much needed structural reforms we have been successful in leading the economy to recovery and growth.
Prevalent amongst the important targets we have set is the optimal and sustainable development of our island’s hydrocarbon reserves, in part by establishing the necessary regional cooperation and synergies.
I am pleased to observe that significant steps have already been made in the hydrocarbons sector of Cyprus. As such, I am confident that we will be successful in our pursuit of safeguarding both the crucial aspect of our country’s energy security, as well as the right of Cypriot society, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, to a prosperous future through exports of natural gas and of course in our efforts to find – it is a prerogative – a peaceful, lasting, and comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus question.
As experts in your respective fields, I am certain that you are aware of the three Licensing Rounds launched by the Republic of Cyprus in 2007, 2012 and 2016.
Through the first two Rounds, we have entered into five active Exploration and Production Sharing Contracts in the Cypriot Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), with the consortium of Noble Energy, Shell and Delek Group for the “Aphrodite” natural gas field in Block 12, the consortium of ENI and Kogas for Blocks 2, 3 and 9 and with Total for Block 11.
The “Aphrodite” discovery is a priority for the Government. As such, the competent Ministry of Energy and the “Aphrodite” consortium are engaged in discussions to establish, the soonest and by mutual agreement, the field’s Development and Production Plan.
In parallel and of equal importance are the commercial discussions with potential buyers in Cyprus and Egypt for long term gas contracts which are in progress, having determined that commercially the most sustainable option is the regional direct pipeline to the Egyptian LNG facilities at Damietta and/or Idku.
Certainly, it should be noted here that based on expected future discoveries, the Cypriot government is also considering several other monetization scenarios, including the Cyprus LNG Plant at the Vasilikos area.
Moreover, 2017 will be marked by further exploration activities of our licensees. Specifically, within the year Total is expected to drill an exploration well in Block 11, whereas ENI and Kogas will also resume their exploration program.
It is becoming increasingly obvious that the Cypriot hydrocarbons sector has, over the past couple of years, gained new momentum. This is especially true after the promising outcome of the third Licensing Round, during which, despite the challenging investment environment in the oil and gas industry, we have received applications for all three available Blocks, by companies and consortia of the highest calibre.
Currently, under the provisions of the relevant legislation, negotiations with the selected applicants for the terms of the Exploration and Production Sharing Contracts are in the final stages. The applicants selected are the consortium of ENI and Total for Block 6, ENI for Block 8 and the consortium of ExxonMobil and Qatar Petroleum for Block 10.
We expect these Blocks to be awarded very soon and that our new licensees will be putting forward aggressive exploration programs.
Cyprus traditionally holds high in its priorities for regionally policy the establishment of an environment of stability and mutually beneficial cooperation. To this end, we are convinced that economic partnerships can also enhance political trust, both essential prerequisites for successfully collaborating in the hydrocarbons sector.
As a result of actively implementing the abovementioned policy, Cyprus has proceeded with signing Delimitation Agreements with Egypt, Israel and Lebanon, based on the median-line principle and in accordance with the provisions of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Moreover, the Republic of Cyprus has signed a Framework Agreement concerning the development of cross-median line hydrocarbon resources with Egypt, whereas similar agreements are now under negotiation with Lebanon and Israel.
At present, we are also in discussions with Egypt for the necessary intergovernmental agreement for a cross boundary pipeline exporting natural gas from Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone to Egypt.
It is also worth mentioning here the high level Trilateral Meetings between Cyprus, Egypt and Greece and between Cyprus, Greece and Israel, aiming to further our countries economic and energy cooperation. These have come to serve as model tripartite dialogues that we aspire to enhance and expand.
Of course, Cyprus’ foreign relations policy does not end at the regional level, as the natural gas discoveries in the Eastern Mediterranean undoubtedly have the potential to contribute greatly to the EU’s energy security.
Specific projects are, in fact, being discussed to this effect, such as the EastMed pipeline. As I am certain most of you know, this is a pipeline that has been labelled an EU Project of Common Interest and will be transferring gas from East Med to continental Europe. To achieve this, it will cross the Exclusive Economic Zones of Israel, Cyprus and Greece to land in Italy.
The Minister of Energy will present to you the latest developments in the Cyprus hydrocarbons sector in more detail, during tomorrow’s session.
As such, I would like to close my speech by reiterating Cyprus’ readiness to facilitate the regional cooperation required for efficiently monetizing the Eastern Mediterranean’s hydrocarbon reserves.
As an EU member state that has always maintained excellent relations with all our neighbors – except for a specific country for which we are looking forward to see that we can build up similar bonds as those which we are sharing with the rest of our neighbors – we firmly believe that Cyprus is best suited to bridge our troubled region’s differences, thus ensuring that the significant quantities of natural gas discovered, as well as any future discoveries, can act as a catalyst in creating conditions for peace and stability.
In this respect it is my strong belief that through respect by everyone for international law and national sovereign rights, all the countries in our region and beyond, including Turkey, can benefit from cooperating and creating an environment of stability which will safeguard the multi-billion investments in the field of Energy.
In concluding, I wish every success in the work and deliberations of the Forum.
http://www.pio.gov.cy/MOI/pio/pio2013.nsf/All/FDDF9B405F244EBBC22580D60031EE98?OpenDocument&L=E
