World Bulletin: Gas cooperation in Cyprus not enough for reconciliation

Economic cooperation between the Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots for Cyprus' natural gas resources is not expected to spill over into political reconciliation, experts say.

The island of Cyprus was divided into northern Turkish and southern Greek territories, when a Greek-Cypriot coup in 1974 to join the island to Greece was responded to by a Turkish peace mission.

While Cyprus' Aphrodite gas field is estimated to have 200 billion cubic meters of natural gas, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration data, the dispute on sharing the resources between the two sides continues on top of political differences.

"You can have cooperation on energy even when political problems continue to persist," said James J. Coyle, chair of the Eurasia Committee and Pacific Council on International Policy at the U.S.-based Chapman University.
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