Survey operations for the planned Greece-Cyprus electricity interconnector are currently confined to both countries’ territorial waters but are expected to extend into their exclusive economic zones (EEZ), raising concerns about potential Turkish interference.
Recent statements by Turkey’s Defence Minister in parliament have prompted worries in Cyprus and Greece about possible confrontations similar to an incident last summer involving an Italian survey vessel near Karpathos and Kasos islands.
Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler told parliament on Tuesday that the Italian vessel Ievoli Relume had been required to seek Turkish permission for surveys off Kasos and Karpathos in July.
He claimed no project activity could proceed in the Eastern Mediterranean without Turkey’s approval.
The next phase of the survey work will move beyond Greek territorial waters into the country’s EEZ, partially overlapping with areas claimed under a disputed Turkey-Libya maritime deal, according to Greek energy news site energypress.gr.
Energy Minister George Papanastasiou recently confirmed that seabed surveys are currently being conducted simultaneously in both countries’ territorial waters using two research vessels.
The developments come despite reassurances from Greece’s foreign minister that Athens made no concessions during last summer’s incident.
