Political, Economic, and Security Issues in the Eastern Mediterranean

Authors : Charles Ellinas

Pages : 4-11

View : 64 | Download : 91

Publication Date : 2023-12-01

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :One of the big problems around the East Med is that governments often talk about developing their gas fields as if they are in full control. As if they are the ones to decide and whatever they decide will be done. Statements like "We will send our gas to Europe because Europe needs it so that it can ditch Russian gas”, or "We will bring it to Cyprus for power generation, with the rest to be liquefied and exported”, or "export it to Turkey”, abound. Governments and politicians talk about East Med energy mostly in terms of their political ends, whatever these are at any one time, blissfully unconcerned about techno-economic factors. In the space of the first eight months of 2023, President Netanyahu promised Israeli gas to Italy, Turkey, and Cyprus, even though available gas is only sufficient to supply only one of these routes. Chevron, the operator of the Leviathan and Tamar gas fields in Israel, of course, has other, commercially driven, plans.
Keywords : Eastern Mediterranean, Security, Political, Economic