On December 13, the Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center hosted a distinguished group of thinkers and diplomats for an off-the-record discussion on Cyprus Settlement Negotiations and hydrocarbon finds in the Eastern Mediterranean.

While an agreement would provide a much needed economic boost to the struggling economies of the south and north alike, the politics of a settlement is as difficult as ever. Hydrocarbon finds across the Eastern Mediterranean have potentially far-reaching implications in the region and on European and transatlantic energy security. Natural gas could provide incentives for cooperation in Cyprus but may also exacerbate existing tensions. Participants discussed the prospects of a resolution on the conflict and obstacles to settlement.