Harry Tzimitras

Director. PRIO Cyprus Centre

Harry Tzimitras
Email: harry@prio.org
Work phone: +357.22.456555/4
Mobile phone: +357 (99) 727 101

Research Interests

​Public International law; Law of the Sea; Foreign Policy Analysis; International Organizations; Energy Geopolitics; Eastern Mediterranean; Cyprus; Greece; Turkey.

Background

​​​Professor of International Law and International Relations.

Before joining PRIO he was with Istanbul Bilgi University, where he has been the Director of the M.A. in International Relations Program and the Director of the Turkish-Greek Studies Division. In Istanbul he was also Adjunct Professor of International Law at Koc University.

Educated at the London School of Economics and the Panteion University of Athens, he has held positions at the University of Cambridge and the Institute of International Relations, Athens.

His teaching, research and policy interests lie primarily in the fields of public international law, the law of the sea, foreign policy, energy geopolitics, the Eastern Mediterranean, Greece, Cyprus and Turkey, and has published extensively in these areas.

Some of his recent publications in his current area of engagement include:

Gurel, A., Tzimitras, H. and Faustmann, H. (ed.) East Mediterranean Hydrocarbons: Geopolitical Perspectives, Markets and Export Routes, and Regional Cooperation. Oslo-Nicosia: Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) Cyprus Centre, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and Brookings Institution, PCC Report 3/2014.

Gurel, A. and Tzimitras, H. "Gas Can Become the New Lost Opportunity" in Kerr Lindsay, J. (ed.) Resolving Cyprus: New Approaches to Conflict Resolution. London: I.B. Tauris, 2014.

Gurel, A., Kahveci, H. and Tzimitras, H. "How to build confidence over energy issues in the context of a Cyprus settlement" in Andoura, S. and Koranyi. D. (eds.), Energy in the Eastern Mediterranean – Promise or Peril? Joint Report by the Egmont Institute and the Atlantic Council. Gent: Academia Press, 2014.

Gurel, A., Mullen, F. and Tzimitras, H. The Cyprus Hydrocarbons Issue: Context, Positions and Future Scenarios. Oslo-Nicosia: Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) Cyprus Centre, PCC Report 1/2013.

Tzimitras, H.Z. 'The Legal Implications of Gas Resources in the Eastern Mediterranean: International Law Perspective's in Nathanson, R. and Levy, Ro'ee (ed.) Natural Gas in the Eastern Mediterranean – Casus Belli or Chance for Regional Cooperation? Tel Aviv: Institute for National Security Studies and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, 2012.

Tzimitras, H.Z. "The prospects for Exploration and Exploitation of Oil and Gas in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean: Some Observations" in Faustman, H. and Gurel, A. Cyprus Offshore Hydrocarbons: Regional Politics and Wealth Distribution. Oslo-Nicosia: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and the Peace Rerearch Institute Oslo (PRIO) Cyprus Centre, PCC Report 1/2012.

Events

PRIO started tracking events online in 2007. This listing is not complete. Past events may be mentioned in our news archive.

Publications

Book

Tzimitras, H.Z. "I Ifalokripida ton Nision sti Diethni Nomologia" [The Continental Shelf of Islands in International Jurisprudence] (with a preface by Prof. C. Economides) Athens: Sakkoulas Law Publishers, 1997.

Book Chapters, Articles and Reports

Gurel, A., Tzimitras, H. and Faustmann, H. (ed.) East Mediterranean Hydrocarbons: Geopolitical Perspectives, Markets and Export Routes, and Regional Cooperation. Oslo-Nicosia: Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) Cyprus Centre, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and Brookings Institution, PCC Report 3/2014.
Gurel, A. and Tzimitras, H. "Gas Can Become the New Lost Opportunity" in Kerr Lindsay, J. (ed.) Resolving Cyprus: New Approaches to Conflict Resolution. London: I.B. Tauris, 2014.
Gurel, A., Kahveci, H. and Tzimitras, H. "How to build confidence over energy issues in the context of a Cyprus settlement" in Andoura, S. and Koranyi. D. (eds.), Energy in the Eastern Mediterranean – Promise or Peril? Joint Report by the Egmont Institute and the Atlantic Council. Gent: Academia Press, 2014.
Gurel, A., Mullen, F. and Tzimitras, H. The Cyprus Hydrocarbons Issue: Context, Positions and Future Scenarios. Oslo-Nicosia: Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) Cyprus Centre, PCC Report 1/2013
Tzimitras, H.Z. 'The Legal Implications of Gas Resources in the Eastern Mediterranean: International Law Perspectives' in Nathanson, R. and Levy, Ro'ee (ed.) Natural Gas in the Eastern Mediterranean – Casus Belli or Chance for Regional Cooperation? Tel Aviv: Institute for National Security Studies and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, 2012
Tzimitras, H.Z. "The prospects for Exploration and Exploitation of Oil and Gas in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean: Some Observations" in Faustman, H. and Gurel, A. Cyprus Offshore Hydrocarbons: Regional Politics and Wealth Distribution. Oslo-Nicosia: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and the Peace Rerearch Institute Oslo (PRIO) Cyprus Centre, PCC Report 1/2012
Tzimitras, H.Z. "The Politics of Law or the Law of Politics? International Law vs. International Politics and the Global Challenges in Governance and Sustainable Development". Global Science and Technology Forum (GSTF): Proceedings of the Annual Conference on Political Science, Sociology and International Relations (PSSIR), 2011
Tzimitras, H.Z. "EU Law: An Introduction". in Kaya, A. et. al. (ed.) Introduction to the European Union: History, Institutions and Politics. Istanbul: Istanbul Bilgi University Press, 2011 (in Turkish).
Tzimitras, H.Z. "Alternative Forms of Nationalism: Superiority through Law in Greek Foreign Policy" in Aktar, A., Kizilyurek, N. & Ozkirimli, U. (ed.) Nationalism in the Troubled Triangle: Cyprus, Greece and Turkey. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010.
Tzimitras, H.Z. "Europe, Nationalism and Turkish-Greek Aegean Disputes" in Nikolaidis, K., Anastasakis, O. & Oktem, K. (ed.) Under the Long Shadow of Europe: Greeks and Turks in the Era of Post-Nationalism. Leiden & Boston: Brill/ Martinus Nijhoff, 2009.
Tzimitras, H.Z. "Europeanization and Nationalism in the Turkish-Greek Rapprochement" Insight Turkey, vol. 10, No., 1 2008.
Tzimitras, H.Z. "The Emerging Framework of Greek-Turkish Relations: Traditional Clichés and New Perceptions" in Kappler, M. (ed.) Intercultural Aspects in and around Turkic Literatures. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag 2006.
Tzimitras, H.Z. "To Provlima ton Synhronon Epikliseon Ithikis sto Diethnes Dikaio kai tous Diethneis Thesmous" ["The Problem of Current Invocation of Ethics in International Law and International Institutions"] Exoterika Themata [Foreign Issues], A Foreign Policy Quarterly Review (Athens), No. 18, July 2005 (in Greek).
Tzimitras, H.Z. "O Proliptikos Polemos" ["Pre-emptive War"] Exoterika Themata [Foreign Issues], A Foreign Policy Quarterly Review (Athens), No. 15, October 2004 (in Greek).
Tzimitras, H.Z. "Kritikos Anastohasmos ton Ellinotourkikon Sheseon: Esoterikes Parametroi kai Exoterikes Metavlites" ["Critical Rethinking of Greek-Turkish Relations: Internal Parameters and External Variables"] Exoterika Themata [Foreign Issues], A Foreign Policy Quarterly Review (Athens), No. 13, April 2004 (in Greek).
Tzimitras, H.Z. "Diethnes Dikaio kai Syghroni Elliniki Exoteriki Politiki" ["International Law and Contemporary Greek Foreign Policy"] in P. Tsakonas (ed.), Syghroni Elliniki Exoteriki Politiki [Contemporary Greek Foreign Policy]. Athens: Sideris Publishers, 2003 (in Greek).
Constas, D. & Tzimitras, H.Z. "Grandi Sfide per la Presidenza Greca" ["The Great Challenges for the Greek Presidency of the European Union"] VI Foro Ellenico No. 48, January-February 2003 (in Italian).
Tzimitras, H.Z. "Diethnes Dikastirio Dikaiou Thalassis: I Nomologia tou Sti Nea Hilietirida" ["International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea: Its Jurisprudence in the New Millennium"] Institute of International Relations: Yearbook 2002. Athens: Sakkoulas Law Publishers, 2003 (in Greek).
Tzimitras, H.Z. "Evropaiki Politiki Asfaleias kai Amynas: Koinovouleftikos Eleghos kai Dimokratiko Elleimma" ["European Security and Defence Policy: Parliamentary Scrutiny and Democratic Deficit"] Exoterika Themata [Foreign Issues], A Foreign Policy Quarterly Review (Athens) No. 6, June 2002 (in Greek).
Tzimitras, H.Z. "To Anadyomeno Plaisio Epilysis ton Ellinotourkikon Diaforon kai to Diethnes Dikastirio tis Hagis" ["The Emerging Framework for the Settlement of Greek-Turkish Disputes and the International Court of Justice"] Exoterika Themata [Foreign Issues], A Foreign Policy Quarterly Review (Athens) No. 5, April 2002 (in Greek).
Tzimitras, H.Z. "Mergitur nec Fluctuat: O Organismos Inomenon Ethnon sti Dini ton Diethnon Exelixeon ston 21o Aiona" ["Mergitur nec Fluctuat: The United Nations in the Whirlpool of International Developments in the Twenty-first Century"] Society for Political and Economic Studies: 3 Eksynchronismos [Modernisation], Oct.-Dec. 2001 (in Greek).
Tzimitras, H.Z. "Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes and the Development of the Law of the Sea: The Role of the International Court of Justice". 10 Cambridge Review of International Affairs, No. 2, 1997.
Tzimitras, H.Z. "Mia Ypothiki gia to Mellon: I Ifalokrripida ton Nision kai I Ipothesi tis Voreiou Thalassis" ["A Hypothecation of the Future: The Continental Shelf of Islands and the North Sea Cases"] 11 The Athens Law Review, No. 1, 1996 (in Greek).
Tzimitras, H.Z. "The United Nations' International Security Role". The Institute of Public International Law and International Relations: XIX Thesaurus Acroasium, 1993.

PCC Report

Gürel, Ayla; Harry Tzimitras; & Hubert Faustmann, eds, (2016) Global Energy Debates and the Eastern Mediterranean, PRIO Cyprus Centre Report, 1. Cyprus: PRIO Cyprus Centre.
Gürel, Ayla; Harry Tzimitras; & Hubert Faustmann, eds, (2014) East Mediterranean Hydrocarbons: Geopolitical Perspectives, Markets, and Regional Cooperation, PRIO Cyprus Centre Report, 3. Cyprus : PRIO Cyprus Centre.
Gürel, Ayla; Fiona Mullen; & Harry Tzimitras (2013) The Cyprus Hydrocarbons Issue: Context, Positions and Future Scenarios, PRIO Report, 1. Nicosia: PRIO Cyprus Centre.

Peer-reviewed Journal Article

Gürel, Ayla & Harry Tzimitras (2015) Beyond Energy: Remarks about the Direction of Turkish-Russian Relations and Their Implications for the Cyprus Problem, Euxeinos: Governance and Culture In the Black Sea Region(18): 28–38.

Book Chapter

Tzimitras, Harry & Ayla Gürel (2018) Cyprus: Energy Hopes and Political Troubles, in The Political and Economic Challenges of Energy In the Middle East and North Africa. London: Routledge (156–168).

Edited Volume

Gürel, Ayla; Harry Tzimitras; & Hubert Faustmann, eds, (2014) East Mediterranean Hydrocarbons - Geopolitical Perspectives, Markets, and Regional Cooperation. Nicosia: PRIO Cyprus Centre.

Non-refereed Journal Article

Gürel, Ayla & Harry Tzimitras (2016) Cyprus Settlement Negotiations: From Euphoria to Reality, Turkish Policy Quarterly 15(1): 51–63.

Popular Article

Tzimitras, Harry (2023) Ο Ερντογάν δεν αποτελεί τη χειρότερη εξέλιξη [Erdogan is not the worst development], To Vima, 28 May.

Report - Other

Ellinas, Charles; Harry Tzimitras; & John Roberts (2016) Hydrocarbon Developments in the Eastern Mediterranean: The Case for PragmatismWashington DC: Atlantic Council, Global Energy Center and Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center.
Tzimitras, Harry (ed.) (2014) The Peace Potential of Hydrocarbon Resources: A Scoping StudyOslo: PRIO.

Report - External Series

Tzimitras, Harry; & Mete Hatay (2016) The Need for Realism: Solving the Cyprus Problem through Linkage Politics, Turkey Project Policy Paper, 9. Washington DC: Center on the United States and Europe, Brookings Institution.

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