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Ankara adopts a hard-line strategy in Greek-Turkish disputes
🇬🇷 Greece /Energy & Infrastructure

Ankara adopts a hard-line strategy in Greek-Turkish disputes

From Kathimerini · () Greek

Translated from Greek and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Analysis Named sources Ongoing story
  • Turkey has recently opposed several Greek initiatives, including maritime parks near Kastellorizo and the Greece-Cyprus electricity interconnection project.
  • Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis said cable surveys and installation could resume in the coming months, possibly during 2026, later than earlier expectations of a September start.
  • Gerapetritis said Greece does not need and will not seek Turkey’s permission, while Cyprus reportedly remains concerned that French participation may not provide sufficient protection for the project.

Ankara’s recent reactions suggest that Turkey is preparing to take a hard line on the planned electricity connection between Greece and Cyprus, according to the report. Since Aug. 16, Turkish authorities have objected to a series of Greek actions, from the designation of maritime parks that Greece says surround Kastellorizo to Athens’ new special planning framework for industry and logistics.

Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis said the survey work and cable installation for the Greece-Cyprus interconnection could restart in the coming months. He later specified that the work would probably begin sometime in 2026, a timeline that differs from the government’s earlier statements in August pointing to a start in September.

Under international law, Turkey’s permission is not required, nor will any permission be requested.

— George GerapetritisThe Greek foreign minister said Athens would not seek Turkish approval for the electricity interconnection project.

Gerapetritis rejected the idea that Turkey’s approval would be required. “Under international law, Turkey’s permission is not required, nor will any permission be requested,” he said. He described the communication required under international law as primarily a safety measure for sailors, shipping companies and coastal states. The purpose, he said, is to show how the project will proceed and help prevent accidents at sea.

We are always ready for any scenario, from the mildest to the most serious.

— George GerapetritisHe was responding to a question about whether Greece was prepared for a possible military incident.

He also linked the issue to the issuance of a NAVTEX by the state with maritime jurisdiction. A possible Turkish request to issue a NAVTEX would, in practice, amount to accepting that Ankara shares jurisdiction in an area covering the entirety of Kasos and Karpathos, where Greece has delimited an exclusive economic zone since 2020.

Asked whether Athens was prepared for a possible military incident, Gerapetritis said, “We are always ready for any scenario, from the mildest to the most serious.” He added that the world is “multipolar and extremely unpredictable.” Meanwhile, reports from Nicosia indicate that Cyprus still sees French participation as insufficient protection against Turkey, and that contacts between Greece and the Republic of Cyprus have not yet resolved the project’s difficulties.

Multipolar and extremely unpredictable.

— George GerapetritisHe described the international environment while discussing regional tensions.
About this summary

Originally published by Kathimerini in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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