TRNC Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Prof. Dr. Kudret Özersay spoke on the Energy Politics in EastMed and Cyprus Issue

IPE Club in cooperation with University of Kyrenia and GÜDENMER has held the seminar “The Energy Politics of Eastern Mediterranean and Its Reflections on the Cyprus Issue” with participation of the TRNC Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs – Prof. Dr. Kudret Özersay.

The seminar opening speech has been made by the head of GÜDENMER (University of Kyrenia Maritime Center) Capt. Enver Yetkili, who has pointed out the importance of the topic, stating that sea and maritime issues are important for nations and countries. In this regards, Capt. Yetkili has emphasized the importance of “The Energy Politics of Eastern Mediterranean and Its Reflections on the Cyprus Issue” seminar under the umbrella of University of Kyrenia, which is the only university in Northern Cyprus providing education in maritime studies. In his speech, Capt. Enver Yetkili has also touched upon the historical turning points as well as recent development on the island and region.

The speech of head of GÜDENMER was followed by address of University of Kyrenia Rector Prof. Dr. Ilkay Salihoğlu, who has emphasized the progress and achievements of University of Kyrenia in maritime studies and research, due to long years’ experience in the field. According to the statements delivered by Prof. Dr. Ilkay Salihoğlu, the research done by university unilaterally or in cooperation provides a unique background for the future development of maritime studies not only on national, but regional level.

The overview of the topic the current situation was made by the IPE Club Founder Arash Sharghi. After a brief introduction of the history and vision of the IPE Club, Arash Sharghi has stressed out important and impressive points. He has stated that the current developments in the region are the outcome of 5 different changes and transformations: epochal change, systemic change, shift from geopolitics to geoeconomics, changes in the grand strategies, and technological changes in the energy realm.

Arash Sharghi: “From global and regional perspective Cyprus represents a geostrategic mass-center in the Eastern Mediterranean, so it is an ideal location for regional and global actors to project its presence and power into the region. It could serve as a base for any military missions or campaigns to show its strength, to maintain the import-export to fire up economy. Cyprus occupies a position from which energy resources can be easily controlled and transported… hydrocarbons became the new “apple of discord”, challenge and at the same time opportunity to solve outstanding issues in the region.”

TRNC Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Prof. Dr. Kudret Özersay in his address emphasized several important points, which are given below:

‘The ongoing struggle in the Eastern Mediterranean is not only a resource-sharing one. It has a historical depth and, consequently, geopolitical and geostrategic dimensions. In this context, it is important to read the problem correctly and to capture the perspective required by the current needs of the Turkish Cypriot”. Prof. Dr. Kudret Özersay emphasized that the fact that the Eastern Mediterranean came to the fore on energy gave Turkish Cypriots an “opportunity to become a regional actor in the Cyprus Problem” and that this should be understood very well by everyone.

Prof. Dr. Kudret Özersay stated that until 2011, the Turkish side was only protesting against various initiatives of Greek Cypriots in the region. However, neither the protests nor protest letters prevented Greek Cypriots from negotiating with international companies and other countries and signing various treaties for energy research. In this context, it is worth remembering the 2001 agreement with Egypt, which became the starting point of Greek Cypriots to design the region according to their needs and interests.

However, while new developments add new dimensions to the problems, they also change the demands for the solution of these problems. Here, the attempts of the Greek Cypriots to exclude Turkish Cypriots from the extraction of possible resources has been resulted in the Continental Shelf Delimitation Agreement signed between Republic of Turkey and TRNC in 2011.

“Today the Cyprus problem is no longer a problem involving only states and political actors; international companies and the states to which they are bound by law… in this context, new factors that have an impact on the solution and new actors have been introduced.

One of the important facts expressed by Prof. Dr. Kudret Özersay is that the Cyprus negotiations, which entered the 51st year, do not do their part in order to reach a solution, necessary means to mobilize Greek Cypriots for a solution are not used. However, what was more important is Prof. Dr. Kudret Özersay’s conclusion that on the new ground of the Eastern Mediterranean Energy struggles, the Turkish Cypriots are now able to force the Greek Cypriots to seek a solution, independent of their negotiation process.

“The Energy Politics of Eastern Mediterranean and Its Reflections on the Cyprus Issue” titled seminar was held as a part of “Dialectical Dialogues” series of IPE Club, including the interview with TRNC Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs – Prof. Dr. Kudret Ozersay.