Competition or cooperation? The geopolitics of gas discovery in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea

Abstract

This study examines how the discovery of natural gas has influenced geopolitical interactions in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. The study presents two cases each of competition and cooperation as representative of these interactions: the competition for occupying gas between (1) the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and (2) Israel and some of its neighbors; and the cooperation for mutual benefit between (1) Israel and its other neighbors and (2) Israel, the Republic of Cyprus, and the European Union. We find that the establishment of gas ownership is a significant factor that determines either competition or cooperation, and we propose a scenario for the reconstruction of power relationships around the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.