Pressure in Cyprus following oil and gas exploration plans

Nicosia’s plans to go ahead with oil and gas exploration in the eastern Mediterranean are causing tension on the island of Cyprus. The Greek Cypriot government plans to invite tenders for oil exploration permits for a 70,000-square-kilometer sea area south and south-west of the island until mid August.

According to the government, provisional data implies that there are oil and gas deposits in a sea area separating the island from Egypt to its south and Lebanon to its east. It proposes to open 11 areas for exploration, with permits being issued by the end of 2007.

Tensions in the eastern Mediterranean could intensify if the government proceeds with plans to drill warned the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as any natural reserves discovered belong to both sides of the island.

The Greek side is looking to carve up the eastern Mediterranean, believing that it is a so-called state without internal or external problems. It is recognised that the Greek Cypriots tried to worsen the problem by bringing Egypt and Lebanon into the equation.

Ankara, Turkey’s capital, is against Cyprus signing an exclusive economic zone agreement with both Lebanon and Egypt and has sent a letter to the United Nations arguing about Nicosia’s control over the occupied north. The letter also reprimanded the Greek Cypriot government for inviting tenders in defiance of Turkish warning against doing so.

Cyprus Commerce Minister Antonis Michaelides was quoted as saying that the Cyprus government will not give into Turkey’s threats because its position is grounded in law.

Following a Turkish invasion in 1974, Cyprus has been divided and attempts to reunite the island have been at a standstill since 2004 when a UN-backed referendum was rejected by Greek-Cypriots but accepted by Turkish-Cypriots living in the north.