Energy cooperation makes absolute sense, but as you point out, it also requires trust from both sides. As well as energy, Türkiye is also bringing water to the North. That may or may not be required in the South - but I doubt any of us has too much water. So, perhaps a share of that could open the door to see us share more of what is around us so that all sides win. The alternative is that we cut off our own and each other’s noses.
For me, the most obvious choose of a third country to garner support and trust from both side has to be the United Kingdom. Especially as they will equally use the resource themselves and because they also claim rights to any hydrocarbons around Cyprus - on account of their bases actually being sovereign UK territory as opposed to just bases. They therefore also need to put something in, before they take out.
Where you totally lose me unfortunately is to suggest Israel as a potential solution. A cursory glance across the water to see what they are capable of when the mood takes them would not gain my trust. My utter disgust, yes.
Finally (and I appreciate you wrote this before the meeting and the agreement of the confidence building measures) the solar farm inside the buffer zone is great news. For an island drenched in sun, it’s madness not to profit from it.
Energy cooperation makes absolute sense, but as you point out, it also requires trust from both sides. As well as energy, Türkiye is also bringing water to the North. That may or may not be required in the South - but I doubt any of us has too much water. So, perhaps a share of that could open the door to see us share more of what is around us so that all sides win. The alternative is that we cut off our own and each other’s noses.
For me, the most obvious choose of a third country to garner support and trust from both side has to be the United Kingdom. Especially as they will equally use the resource themselves and because they also claim rights to any hydrocarbons around Cyprus - on account of their bases actually being sovereign UK territory as opposed to just bases. They therefore also need to put something in, before they take out.
Where you totally lose me unfortunately is to suggest Israel as a potential solution. A cursory glance across the water to see what they are capable of when the mood takes them would not gain my trust. My utter disgust, yes.
Finally (and I appreciate you wrote this before the meeting and the agreement of the confidence building measures) the solar farm inside the buffer zone is great news. For an island drenched in sun, it’s madness not to profit from it.