It was an interesting meeting for the Members and Friends of WISTA Cyprus on Wednesday 21 May. Marianna Charalambous, with a Juris Doctorate in International Law and an LLM in Oil and Gas, is an expert in the delimitation of maritime boundaries, and a member of WISTA Cyprus. During the meeting she outlined the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the international law currently applicable in the delimitation of maritime boundaries. She presented the conflicting claims currently in the Mediterranean and assessed their validity in lieu of the applicable law.
A de facto situation under the law never acquires a de jury status without the consent of the affected party she noted therefore she argued that the only legitimate entity to grant a license for exploration in the Cyprus maritime zone including up to 50% the distance between the Cyprus and Turkish coasts is the Republic of Cyprus. She urged that we consider the possibility of large hydrocarbon reserves found north of Kyrenia and the impact of such finds on the issues currently faced by this island.
After her presentation the audience had many questions and a lively discussion took place, that continued during the reception that followed. Another subject that was intensively discussed was the preparation for the 34th WISTA International AGM and Conference, that will be held in Limassol from 8 – 10 October of this year. Many sponsors and speakers have already been announced and can be found on the conference website: www.wistacyprus2014.com 
