Natural Resource Use in Long-Term Occupied Northern Cyprus

What is it about?

The law of occupation, which forms part of international humanitarian law, governs the administration of territories which are subject to foreign occupation. One such territory is Northern Cyprus which has been occupied by Turkey for decades. The law of occupation includes specific legal provisions which regulate the exploitation and management of natural resources located in occupied territories. In recent years, possibly lucrative natural gas reserves have been discovered off the coast of Cyprus and the potential exploitation of such resources has ignited Turkey’s interest. In light thereof, this article aims to determine whether the law of occupation could provide a legal basis or justification for Turkey’s claims to the natural gas located off the shore of the occupied territory. Particular attention is paid to the prolonged nature of Turkey’s occupation of Northern Cyprus and the unique challenges posed thereby.

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Photo by Cameron Venti on Unsplash

Photo by Cameron Venti on Unsplash