Oil & gas hubris moves Cyprus, Greece & Turkey closer to conflict (Video)

Oil & gas hubris moves Cyprus, Greece & Turkey closer to conflict (Video)



Cyprus was a happy valley, sleepy, sunny, holiday island which Britain had won as the spoils of War in the dim and distant past. Claiming independence brought the bubbling under feud, between Turkish and Greek nationals, who had moved there, to the public view.

Both sides, initially, wanted total control. As this could not happen, without one group capitulating completely, Cyprus developed into a Northern Ireland situation, with terrorists or freedom fighters, on both sides, bombing and killing and generally causing mayhem. 

The British have an airbase at Akrotiri and sent in the troops, who, immediately, became a target of both sides. The unfortunate thing about independence warfare is that uniforms are not worn by many and the British wee really getting nowhere and bailed out. 

Deals were done in smoke-filled rooms and President Mickyarseos, a holy crook, sent in Turkish paratroopers to defend his countrymen, in the north of the island, from the greeks in the south. An imaginary dividing line was drawn and things became calm, apart from the occasional clandestine family or business feuds being settled. So what was so valuable?

Cyprus is a tourist island but it is also an international tax haven, similar to the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Hundreds, probably thousands of companies 'brass plate' in accountant's and lawyer's offices, stating that their Hq is in Cyprus. This means that anyone working for them is 'working abroad' as are most of the British NHS staff who 'work abroad' from Eire. As are Boeing workers, who 'work abroad' in Seattle crossing the border, from homes in Canada, every day. It is not just the fat cats who play these games.

In addition, underwater, between Cyprus and Israel is a huge, virtually untapped body of oil. This field runs South from Egypt, along Israel and tapers out a little further south. With the tax haven status and being seafaring, Cypus is destined to be a trading and oil platform supply hub, if agreements can be reached. The British, still the colonial power, Israel and Egypt, all claim 'it is my field and you're not playing on it, ok!!' The British could negotiate with either of the other two but Egypt and Israel will never agree on principle. Meanwhile the oil is locked away, for a rainy day, which actually suits the UK just fine, as they are a net exporter of oil, having robbed the Scottish people of the oil, off of their shores.