Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis flatly rejected reports that the Greece-Cyprus electricity interconnection c...

Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis flatly rejected reports that the Greece-Cyprus electricity interconnection cable passes through Turkish maritime parks, calling those claims "completely out of touch with reality." Speaking on SKAI 100.3 radio, he said the cable route has never crossed Turkish maritime parks and sits "dozens of miles south" of them, meaning there is "absolutely no reason" to reroute it. Gerapetritis confirmed that a French-interests company involved in the project will submit its licensing request to the Greek government, and Greece alone will issue the permit based on international law. Turkey will be notified through standard NAVTEX maritime safety communications, as required for all neighboring states, but the licensing authority belongs solely to Athens. On Greece-Turkey relations, the foreign minister pushed back against domestic critics who argue that dialogue with Ankara means concessions. He called that view "a massive mistake," insisting the structured dialogue has defined limits, deliverables, timelines, and accountable parties. He also noted that Turkey views Greece's relationship with Israel as counterproductive, believing it forms an "arc" that threatens Ankara. Gerapetritis defended extending Greek territorial waters to 12 nautical miles, calling it a sovereign right under the law of the sea and noting this government was the first in 50 years to extend them in the Ionian. He also blocked any Eastern Mediterranean multilateral conference that excludes Cyprus, stating that if Turkey refuses to accept Cyprus's participation, "such a meeting simply cannot happen." He closed by saying Greece's international standing is currently "infinitely better" than three years ago, with alliances spanning Israel, the Arab world, the United States, the EU's core, and the UN Security Council. #Greece #Cyprus #EasternMediterranean