Why have offshore natural gas reserves caused disagreements around Cyprus?

Offshore natural gas reserves discovered near Cyprus in 2011 have become a significant source of regional tension, primarily due to the ongoing political division of the island and competing maritime claims.12

The disagreements stem from several key factors:

• Lack of Power Sharing: Turkish Cypriots have expressed concerns that they will not receive a fair share of the revenue generated from these resources without a formal, comprehensive agreement regarding the island's governance.2
• Intervention and Sovereignty: The Republic of Cyprus, which is internationally recognized, has moved forward with drilling operations by granting licenses to international energy corporations like TotalEnergies, Eni, and Exxon Mobil Corporation. Turkey has repeatedly challenged these activities, at times deploying warships to intercept exploration vessels and conducting its own drilling surveys in the area, citing the lack of a fair deal for Turkish Cypriots.2
• Maritime Boundaries: Tensions are exacerbated by broader geopolitical disputes, including Turkey's 2019 maritime agreement with Libya, which was designed to create a shared maritime zone that disrupts planned pipeline projects intended to transport gas from Israel to Greece via Cyprus.3