Gas Reserves and Geopolitics: Unravelling the Cyprus Conundrum

This book provides the analysis of natural gas field and the protracted Cyprus conflict field by utilizing the SAFs approach conceptualized from field theory of Fligstein and McAdam (2012). It is also that this book is to explain second research questions is that What is the role of current natural gas discoveries in Cyprus water on the protracted Cyprus conflict? The year 2011 when natural gas was discovered in the Cyprus waters, causing disputes between TRNC government and the RoC government, closely interconnected to the protracted Cyprus conflict. In detail, it is seen that the sovereignty, equality and territorial integrity come to the fore in the way of natural gas exploration activities between TRNC and RoC. In this case, it is clear that the natural gas field’s processes and results in an SAF are largely built on experiences learned from the SAF-the protracted Cyprus conflict- that preceded it. It is seen that it is possible to talk about the political and strategic importance of Cyprus. It is also seen that the concept of sovereignty equality and territorial integrity comes to the fore in a controversial manner in the way of natural gas exploration activities. It is important that actors learn from not only of their limited successful strategic actions, but also from their failures in the proximate SAFs.