The “Great Game of Geopolitics” in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea: Assessing the 2018 Energy Dispute between Turkey and the Republic of Cyprus and its Influence on Regional Cooperation

Rising tensions and new cooperation tendencies in the Eastern Mediterranean area are highlighted by energy politics. Latest natural gas discoveries in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea have prompted many to wonder whether natural resources might help the area to reach peace and prosperity. However, the recent tensions and navy confrontations reveal that competition extends beyond the race for energy. By focusing on the 2018 energy dispute between the Republic of Cyprus (in alliance with Greece) and Turkey, this thesis paper examines the fluctuations of geopolitical strategies in the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as their influence on regional cooperation and the new foreign relations realities between the competing regional powers. What impact do regional and international powers' actions and policies have on regional security? Does the discovery of energy resources lead to closer cooperation or increased competition? This thesis paper looks beyond the economic importance of energy...Show moreRising tensions and new cooperation tendencies in the Eastern Mediterranean area are highlighted by energy politics. Latest natural gas discoveries in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea have prompted many to wonder whether natural resources might help the area to reach peace and prosperity. However, the recent tensions and navy confrontations reveal that competition extends beyond the race for energy. By focusing on the 2018 energy dispute between the Republic of Cyprus (in alliance with Greece) and Turkey, this thesis paper examines the fluctuations of geopolitical strategies in the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as their influence on regional cooperation and the new foreign relations realities between the competing regional powers. What impact do regional and international powers' actions and policies have on regional security? Does the discovery of energy resources lead to closer cooperation or increased competition? This thesis paper looks beyond the economic importance of energy resources and analyses the energy problem in the Mediterranean Sea as primarily a geopolitical and strategic one, with economics playing a secondary role.Show less

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The “Great Game of Geopolitics” in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea: Assessing the 2018 Energy Dispute between Turkey and the Republic of Cyprus and its Influence on Regional Cooperation