New book examines East Med ‘geopolitics’
A NEW book examining the “modern geopolitics” of energy resources in the Eastern Mediterrean has been published.
Modern Geopolitics of Eastern Mediterranean Hydrocarbonsinan Age of Energy Transformation has been written by two Turkish Cypriots — Mehmet Özay and Vedat Yorucu.
Released by global publisher Springer, the book provides an “in-depth assessment of the modern geopolitics of hydrocarbon resources in the territorial waters of the Eastern Mediterranean, highlighting the current conflicts and disputes in the maritime territories of Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Cyprus, and Turkey”.
The book’s authors analyse the issues in the “broader context of the tensions between and competing interests of big powers such as the USA, Russia, and the European Union”.
It looks at the extent to which major powers are able to influence “regional actors” and “guide them” towards “rational outcomes”.
The book also “focuses on such questions and presents a number of clear policy guidelines to help the conflict-laden Eastern Mediterranean region gain a more peaceful and sustainable footing for the greater benefit of the peoples living there”.
Prof Özay is a retired Canadian academic of Turkish Cypriot origin, the first from North Cyprus to study at the London School of Economics, according to information provided by Springer.
He completed his PhD in economics at the University of Toronto as a “Commonwealth scholar”.
He has also worked at the TRNC’s Eastern Mediterranean University, including a term as dean of the Faculty of Business and Economics from 2008 to 2010.
Prof Özay has acted as a consultant for several international agencies including the World Bank, the International Labour Organization and the World Health Organization.
Prof Yorucu specialises in economic development, international economics, energy and construction economics. He is vice president of the Cyprus Turkish Economics Association and was chief economic adviser to the Finance Ministry and Economy and Tourism Ministry from 2004 to 2009.
The 168-page book can be ordered online from the Springer website in hardback or as an e-book.