The United States is reportedly intervening through its diplomatic missions in Ankara, Nicosia and Athens to keep the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) on course, stating that no side is justified in objecting to such projects, as the French vessel Abeille Marengo was expected in the work area within hours on Monday to resume surveys for the electricity link.
The US position follows the line set out by Marco Rubio during his visit to Athens, according to the information. “In such projects, no objection from any side is justified,” the message states. As the briefing in Ankara is being given orally, it is likely to be delivered by Ambassador Tom Barrack.
Preparations for resuming the surveys are in their final stage, following intense diplomatic activity aimed at confirming understandings reached earlier through French mediation and ensuring the work restarts without surprises.
In Athens, a row broke out on Sunday not over the content or outcome of France’s notification to Turkey about the start of the surveys, but over whether it took the form of a note verbale, the usual means of communicating positions in diplomatic practice.
French notification
France last briefed Ankara on Friday, when there were signs of a hitch after Turkey issued a counter-NAVTEX. The content of that briefing is not known, beyond a reference to France not being involved in “issues of claims over maritime zones”.
It is also not known whether it included further details on the surveys, such as the coordinates of the vessel’s route. Although such details would not amount to a permit application, which is submitted by the company, Ankara could possibly use them to argue that it too has a say in licensing the surveys. It will probably want to make that public by issuing its own NAVTEX when the surveys begin.
(information from protothema.gr)
