Turkey Warning on Cyprus Gas
Turkey has warned Israel about entering gas business deals with Cyprus, according to Turkish media.
Any proposed Israel-Turkey natural gas pipeline could be put in doubt because of Israel's energy co-operation with Cyprus, which is split between Greek and Turkish sectors.
Turkish newspaper Hurriyet Daily News reported that the deputy Minister for Energy and Natural Resource made the statement to an Israeli government representative at the Eurasian Economic Summit in Istanbul last week.
Last November a senior Turkish politician praised the idea of a pipeline from Israel to Turkey, according to Israeli media reports. A relatively new notion, the pipeline would aim to tackle Turkish dependence on imports for natural gas supplies. Turkey imports more than half its natural gas from Russian suppliers, and nearly another 20% from Iran.
Turkey invaded Cyprus in 1974 and controls more than one-third of the island, although the international community does not recognize its sovereignty. The Greek Cypriot government of the island is based in Nicosia.