Turkey accuses Cyprus of increasing tensions over gas exploration

Turkey on Friday accused Cyprus of increasing tension in the Eastern Mediterranean after a consortium of Italian and French energy companies found more natural gas off the island earlier this week.

Cyprus’ hydrocarbon activities “have been carried out unilaterally,” and “violate the rights of the Turkish Cypriots, who are one of the co-owners of all natural resources of the island,” Turkish foreign ministry spokesperson Tanju Bilgic said.

“These activities also increase the tension, and threaten peace and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean,” he said in a statement, adding that Turkey “would not allow hydrocarbon exploration or exploitation activities in its continental shelf without consent.”

A consortium of Italy’s Eni and France’s TotalEnergies found more natural gas off Cyprus, the country’s energy ministry said on Wednesday.

Cyprus’s exploration programme is hotly disputed by Turkey, which cites overlapping jurisdictions either on its own continental shelf or in waters of the breakaway Turkish Cypriot state in north Cyprus, which is recognised only by Turkey.

Cyprus’s internationally recognised government, viewed as representing the whole island, dismisses those claims.

Between two and three trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of natural gas was found recently in exploratory drilling in block six by Italian energy giant ENI.

The find in the Zeus-1 of the block is at 162km from Cyprus’ coast, 5km west of the Cronos-1 site and at a depth of 2,300 metres.

The confirmation on Wednesday comes after ENI announced a similar discovery in Cronos-1 back in August, which yielded preliminary estimates of about 2.5 trillion Tcf. The Calypso-1 gas discovery came in 2018.

ENI has been operating in Cyprus since 2013. The company operates blocks 2, 3, 6, 8 and 9, and holds stakes in blocks 7 and 11 operated by Total.

Energy Minister Natasa Pilides on Thursday said the discovery of natural gas in the ‘Zeus-1’ target, which facilitates the utilisation of the deposits identified in block 6 of Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), was an important development.

Speaking to Cybc’s Trito, Pilides underlined that there are prospects for exploitation, but the necessary infrastructure was not yet in place.