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1 1 (March 1, 2018)

handle is hein.crs/govcivy0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Researh Sevice Tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean Focus on the Politics of Energy March 1, 2018 Cypriot (Greek and Turkish) interest in energy exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean began in 1998 after Noble Energy, a Texas-based energy company, discovered a large natural gas deposit in the Levant Basin. The location is in waters considered part of Israel's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) but bordering parts of the Republic of Cyprus's (RoC's) EEZ. In 2007, the RoC granted Noble Energy a license to explore for gas in an area identified as block 12, or the Aphrodite field within its EEZ. In 2011, Noble Energy announced the discovery of natural gas in block 12. Subsequently, the RoC held three more rounds of licensing for additional exploration in its other blocks (see Figure 1). Although no Cypriot gas has yet been extracted and none is expected to be until perhaps 2020 or later, the RoC's strategy is to combine its gas reserves with those of Israel, and perhaps with that of a new discovery in Egyptian waters, to create a new Eastern Mediterranean energy supply market. Cyprus does not use gas as a domestic energy source, but the Greek Cypriots have examined the feasibility and cost of developing a pipeline terminal and liquefied natural gas facility in southern Cyprus for both domestic consumption and export. The European Union (EU) is financially supporting the construction of a pipeline connecting Israeli, Egyptian, and Cypriot gas deposits with Greece to bring additional gas to southern Europe as part of the EU's supply-diversification strategy. Others have suggested that a pipeline connecting Israeli and Cypriot gas to Turkey for transport to Europe would be more economical and less technologically challenging. Many observers were initially hopeful that the energy issue would help propel Cyprus's long-stalled unification negotiations to a conclusion as both Greek and Turkish Cypriots realized the potential economic benefits to a unified island. However, the energy issue has become a sticking point in the negotiations. It resulted in a previous suspension of the talks and has contributed to tensions between Turkey and the Greek Cypriots. The United States and the EU have long supported the RoC's right to explore for energy in its EEZ, but both have stated their hope that the economic benefits of such exploration could eventually be shared by everyone on the island. Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov IN10864 CRS }NStGHT Prepaed for Membeivs and Cornm ittees o4 Cor~qress ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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