Turkey is sending the Oruc Reis research vessel, escorted by Turkish Navy warships, to conduct surveys off Cyprus for an...

Turkey is sending the Oruc Reis research vessel, escorted by Turkish Navy warships, to conduct surveys off Cyprus for an undersea natural gas pipeline connecting southern Turkey to the occupied north of the island. Turkey's Hydrographic Office in Antalya is expected to issue a NAVTEX in early October, clearing the way for the surveys to begin. The pipeline would stretch roughly 97 kilometers and is designed to operate in both directions. According to Kathimerini, most of the pipeline has already been manufactured, meaning construction could begin relatively quickly once surveys are complete. A memorandum for the project was signed last June between Turkey's Ministry of Energy and its Foreign Affairs and National Defense ministries, along with the Turkish Petroleum Corporation. Analysts see the pipeline as part of Ankara's broader strategy to deepen the occupied north's dependence on Turkey and advance the case for two separate states on the island. Turkey already supplies northern Cyprus with fresh water through a similar undersea pipeline, which Nicosia has long protested. Beyond formal complaints, the Republic of Cyprus has few practical options to stop the project. Meanwhile, Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis pushed back on speculation that the Greece-Cyprus Great Sea Interconnector cable route might change due to Turkish pressure. He said Greece alone holds the licensing authority for the project, and that Turkey can be notified through standard NAVTEX procedures but has no say in the approval process. Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou confirmed there has been no decision to alter the cable's route. Turkish media outlets Hurriyet and Milliyet have been covering the GSI discussions closely, with Milliyet also reporting on Greek government plans to extend territorial waters to 12 nautical miles south of Crete. #Cyprus #Greece #Turkey