Cyprus–Turkey maritime zones dispute

  Republic of Cyprus
  Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (only recognized by Turkey)
  Republic of Turkey
  Hellenic Republic (Greece)

The Republic of Cyprus (Cyprus) and Turkey have been engaged in a dispute over the extent of their exclusive economic zones, ostensibly sparked by oil and gas exploration in the area. Indeed, Turkey and the break-away Northern Cyprus object to Cypriot drilling in waters that Cyprus has asserted a claim to under international maritime law. The present maritime zones dispute touches on the perennial Cyprus and Aegean disputes; Turkey is the only member state of the United Nations that does not recognise Cyprus, and is not a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which Cyprus has signed and ratified.

Cypriot perspective

Maritime boundaries according to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea

The Republic of Cyprus adopted the Territorial Sea Law in 1964. The law established 12-nautical-mile (22 km; 14 mi) territorial sea. Coordinates of the territorial sea were submitted to the United Nations in 1993 and their validity was reconfirmed in 1996.[1] The continental shelf of Cyprus is defined according to the Continental Shelf Law which was adopted in 1974. After ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 1988, Cyprus adopted a new law in 2004, which limited its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) by 12 nautical miles (22 km; 14 mi). The EEZ was delimited by bilateral agreements with Israel, Lebanon and Egypt.[1]

The area of highest interest to Cyprus is Block 12, approximately 800,000 acres (3,200 km2) in size, and on the border with Israel's own EEZ.

Cyprus has actively sought to reinforce its position on the global stage through congress with major international players in the situation. Cypriot Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis began her term in office in late 2011 by visiting both Greece and Israel to request support for the drilling program,[2] though it is not clear if military support was also requested. It is also widely believed that Cyprus has requested support from the United States of America and the Russian Federation, though the exact specifics of any representations have not been made public.

As of August 2011, the Cypriot media has shown widespread alarm at Turkish threats to intervene against the drilling program, and has remonstrated with the Turkish position as evidence of a violation of national sovereignty and the rights of the Cypriot people.

In late February 2014, Cypriot president Nicos Anastasiades threatened to pull out of the new round of negotiations over the Cyprus dispute if Turkish vessels continue to intrude in Cyprus' exclusive economic zone.[3]

Turkish perspective

Turkey is not a party to UNCLOS, mainly due to the Aegean dispute with Greece and due to provisions of the article 121 of UNCLOS which states that maritime zones of islands (except uninhabited rocks) are determined by the same principles as for the other territories.[1][4] It has limited its territorial waters by 6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi) and by 12 nautical miles (22 km; 14 mi) in the Mediterranean Sea, established by the Council of Ministers of Turkey. There is no national legislation on EEZ or continental shelf. No EEZ proclamation exists for the Mediterranean Sea; however, it has signed an agreement in 2011 with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to delimit continental shelf.[1]

Turkey does not recognize Cyprus' EEZ agreements with Egypt, Lebanon, and Israel due to the position that as de facto divided island Republic of Cyprus cannot represent the interests of Northern Cyprus in the case the island will be reunified with a single EEZ.[4] Turkey has disputed the EEZ agreement between Cyprus and Egypt based on its claims to the part of the continental shelf in that area.[1] These claims are based on the viewpoint that capacity of islands to generate maritime zones should be limited in competition with the continental coastal states.[1] As a result, Turkey's claims are partly overlapping with Cyprus' EEZ blocks 1, 4, 6, and 7.[4] Turkey also supports Northern Cyprus claims in blocks 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 12, and 13, including within few kilometers from the Aphrodite gas field. In addition to the blocks between Northern Cyprus and Turkey, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has issued exploration licenses also in above-mentioned disputed blocks.[4] Turkish oil company TPAO has also begun conducting oil and gas exploratory drilling off the shores of Northern Cyprus.[4][5]

The European Union (EU) acquis communautaire requires UNCLOS membership.[6] The European Parliament called on Turkey to sign UNCLOS in adopting the Commission's annual report on paving the ground for EU–Turkey accession negotiations in 2012, 2013 and 2014.[6][7][8]

Turkey has repeatedly threatened to not allow the Republic of Cyprus to proceed with pursuing claims to hydrocarbon deposits in waters south of the island. It has warned international oil companies not to conduct exploration and production activities in disputed zones, under the threat of an exclusion from the business operations in Turkey.[4] It is not clear whether the incident could escalate to violence, as the Turkish Government has not made clear whether it regards oil and gas exploration by the Republic of Cyprus as an act of aggression.

However, in November 2008, Turkish naval vessels harassed Cyprus contracted vessels conducting seismic exploration for hydrocarbon deposits in waters south of the island.[9]

Potential for escalation to armed conflict

Turkey has organised a major air and naval exercise to take place at the same time as drilling by the Cypriot contractors is due to begin in September 2011.[9]

A possible sign of concern has been raised by reports that the Russian Navy had been ordered in late August 2011 to scramble two nuclear attack submarines to the Eastern Mediterranean to observe the situation,[10] as Cyprus and Russia have enjoyed close political and economic ties in recent years.[11]

Israel has also been reported to have increased the number of surveillance flight operations in the Eastern Mediterranean,[12] though it is not clear if these operations include the Nicosia Flight Information Region.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Gürel, Ayla; Mullen, Fiona; Tzimitras, Harry (2013). The Cyprus Hydrocarbons Issue: Context, Positions and Future Scenarios (PDF). PCC Report. Peace Research Institute Oslo. pp. 13–30. ISBN 9788272884863.
  2. ↑
  3. ↑ "Negotiations will end if Turkey violates South’s EEZ: Anastasiades". LGC news (Lemon Grove Cyprus). 2014-02-24. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Emerson, Michael (2013). "Fishing for Gas and More in Cypriot Waters" (PDF). Insight Turkey (SETA) 15 (1): 165–181. ISSN 1302-177X.
  5. ↑ Hadjicostis, Menelaos (2012-04-26). "Turkey starts oil, gas search in north Cyprus". Associated Press. Retrieved 2014-03-10.
  6. 1 2 Gültaşli, Selçuk (2012-01-06). "European Parliament tells EU to cooperate against terrorist PKK". Today's Zaman. Retrieved 2014-03-17.
  7. ↑ "EP resolution calls for the withdrawal of occupation troops from Cyprus". Famagusta Gazette. 2013-04-19. Retrieved 2014-03-17.
  8. ↑ "Ευρωβουλή: Ψήφισμα για όλα τα γούστα". Ο Φιλελεύθερος. 2014-03-13. Retrieved 2014-03-17.
  9. 1 2
  10. ↑ Fenwick, Sarah (2011-08-25). "Russia Sends Nuclear Subs To Patrol Cyprus Waters". Cyprus News Report. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
  11. ↑ Barnes, Taylor (2010-07-01). "Russian spy ring paymaster disappears from Cyprus". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
  12. ↑

Further reading

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