The approaches of the Eastern Mediterranean states regarding the natural gas problem in Cyprus (2006-2017)

With its strategic importance and controversial status, Cyprus is a serious agenda item in the Eastern Mediterranean geopolitics and is increasingly subject to controversy over its policies towards hydrocarbon resources discovered around the island. The geopolitical approaches of the regional states towards hydrocarbon energy sources around the island cause uncertainty in the sharing of the maritime jurisdictions of the Eastern Mediterranean and pose risks both regionally and globally by threatening the peace and security established on critical sensitivities. It is possible to say that if the constructive and peaceful political approaches are ignored, the tension in the Eastern Mediterranean may be the scene of crisis and conflicts that are not limited to the region but which can reach the global dimension. The controversial status of Cyprus in this environment and the unilateral natural gas exploration and operation license of the Greek Cypriot in the Island's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) cause problems between the countries in the region and the current conflicts become increasingly complex. This study's hypothesis is that the status of Cyprus, the EEZ proclamations and treaties in the Eastern Mediterranean, the natural gas reserves of the Cyprus' EEZ and the natural gas operating licenses issued in the Eastern Mediterranean, lead to a natural gas problem in the Eastern Mediterranean. In this context, it is aimed to analyze the political approaches of the Eastern Mediterranean States towards the natural gas presence in Cyprus with an interest-oriented traditional security approach and to eliminate a significant deficiency in the literature with a normative approach in line with the rules of international law. The ever-increasing energy need enables the regional states to cooperate with each other in maritime jurisdictions and to form a global cooperation environment by granting energy tenders to multinational consortia. On the other hand, the policies based on power maximization followed by both the regional states and the global powers have a destabilizing effect on the peace environment of the Eastern Mediterranean. As a result; It is possible to say that the states in the region and global powers will contribute to world peace with a normative approach or increase the risk of conflict in the region in search of more power with a realist approach.