The "Homer" platform, where the research drilling for hydrocarbons is carried out, is visited today by the President of the Republic, Dimitris Christofias. President Christofias is accompanied by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism Praxoula Antoniadou, the Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment Sophocles Aletraris, the Government Spokesman Stefanos Stefanou and the Undersecretary despite the President Titos Christofidis. The President of the Republic is accompanied by filmmakers and a photographer.
Statements of the Ministry of Commerce:
The Minister of Commerce, Praxoula Antoniadou, stated on RIK radio that the President of the Republic is visiting the platform to be informed as the first citizen of the country, on the spot, about the progress of the work.
The visit, added Ms. Antoniadou, is an indication that the Republic of Cyprus exercises its sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone, within the framework of international law.
Commenting on reports, the Minister of Commerce noted that it is too early to light a flame with natural gas from the fields. We must, he said, first reach a targeted depth and then the process of assessing the area and content of the deposit.
Ms. Antoniadou reiterated that the first results are expected in early or mid-December and that the President of the Republic will not make announcements today regarding the content of the deposit.
Representative: The President's visit to the platform is symbolic.
The visit of President Christofias to the Noble platform is symbolic, said Government Spokesman Stefanos Stefanou.
"As it has been announced, the President of the Republic is going to the platform, where various works have been done for a long time," he said. It is, he said, "it is known that we are in the stage of exploratory drilling and we expect results from this exploratory drilling regarding the existence of a hydrocarbon deposit".
So far, he said, "as a government we have shown patience, in low tones."
He underlined that "the visit of the President of the Republic has a symbolic character, in the sense that the issue of hydrocarbons is very high in the Government's priorities, but also political implications, in the sense that it is the sovereign right of the Republic of Cyprus to investigate the area. which is located in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Cyprus, and this sovereign right is always exercised by the Republic of Cyprus within the framework of international law ".
Asked to say what is the program of the President's visit and whether there will be a test burning or lighting of a flame of the first Cypriot natural gas, Mr. Stefanou said that "a lot has been said, we did not say anything about lighting or anything another ", adding that" it is just a transition to the podium, the President of the Republic will be informed and will return from the platform ".
Commenting that the visit takes place without journalists, Mr. Stefanou clarified that "it is with a picture, with the TV channels and with a photographer", adding that "there are many restrictions due to practical issues that arise and that is why we ensured that there is for the image of journalists in both film and photographs ".
Asked when the results of the investigation will be announced, the Government Spokesman said that "we are waiting for the results of the exploration drilling, when and if we have these results will be announced", adding that "this is the practice followed".
Answering a question about when the 2nd round of licensing will start, Mr. Stefanou stated that "as it has already been said in the last discussion of the Council of Ministers, there has been a discussion on the issue in principle, the competent Ministers have undertaken, which is to the Ministerial Committee on Hydrocarbons ".
"Once the whole evaluation of the various aspects related to the 2nd round of licensing is completed, the issue will be returned to a next session of the Council of Ministers to make decisions," he added.
Source: KYPE