Greece-Cyprus cable drawn into maritime disputes
LIBYA – A news report in the English-language Greek newspaper ProtoThema said Turkey intends to obstruct work to lay an undersea cable linking Greece and Cyprus in an area it says lies within its continental shelf.
Ankara rejects unauthorised work
The report, which Al-Marsad followed and whose main points it translated, said the Turkish Defence Ministry announced it would not allow any unauthorised cable-laying or scientific research on its continental shelf in connection with the planned major undersea electricity link between Greece and Cyprus, which the report calls the Great Sea Interconnector.
Turkey cites agreements with Libya and northern Cyprus
According to the report, Turkey holds that the project must be carried out in coordination with it as a coastal state, basing its position on maritime agreements it signed with Libya and with the unilaterally declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is recognised only by Turkey.
Agreements lodged with the United Nations on 18 March 2020
The report added that these agreements were lodged with the United Nations on 18 March 2020, while Greece and Cyprus reject these demands and consider the Turkish-Libyan maritime memorandum of understanding legally void.
Linking the two electricity grids by undersea cable
The report said the project aims to link the Greek and Cypriot electricity grids by an undersea cable via the island of Crete.
