Nicosia is not worried over speculation that a possible future pipeline transferring gas from Israel to Turkey could pass through Cyprus waters even without its consent.
“No, we are not concerned, this is not going to happen, we have the assurance of Israel and we also have legislation protecting Cyprus from such a possibility,” an insider told the Cyprus Weekly Thursday.
“UN provisions also give protection to Cyprus and let’s not forget that no serious energy company will go ahead with such an ambitious, incredibly costly project with legal inevitabilities pending.”
Nonetheless, analysts said this week that even though Israel has given assurances to Cyprus that rapprochement with Turkey will not affect Nicosia adversely; the pipeline project may be unstoppable.
Even though Nicosia has made clear that without a solution of the Cyprus problem, approval for an Israel-Cyprus-Turkey pipeline will never get the green light.
A diplomatic source said that, should there be a decision by Israel to proceed with gas sales to Turkey, Cyprus may not be able to stop the construction of a pipeline through its Exclusive Economic Zone.
The prevailing political situation on the divided island is also a major factor.
“There are grey areas as concerns the EEZ of the island, because of the division. Nicosia could be taken by surprise when it comes to the pipeline but anticipated legal obstacles by Cyprus will certainly be taken into consideration by big investors,” the source said.
Both Cyprus and Turkey are signatories of the Energy Charter Treaty that establishes a framework for cross-border cooperation in the energy sector. Article 79 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) also covers submarine pipelines.
Through these Cyprus has the power to influence such a project, for example by raising environmental or pipeline routing concerns.
For the moment, Cyprus and Israel are partners in developing natural gas and oil reserves discovered in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea between the two countries. In 2013, US giant Noble Energy, in partnership with Israeli company DELEK, said its production testing has confirmed 3-6 Tcf of natural gas, with a median of 5 Tcf, in the Aphrodite well offshore Cyprus.
That will yield a maximum flow rate of 56 million cubic feet per day. The estimates have been revised down from 5-7 Tcf. At the same time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is himself under a lot of criticism at home over Tuesday’s agreement with Turkey.
Critics say this was reached for the sake of energy companies, including Noble Energy so that they can move ahead with exporting natural gas from Israel’s huge Leviathan gas field to Turkey.
Israeli insiders have also sent the message that logistical, political and financial obstacles could mean such a project is still a long way off, if at all doable.
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