An exchange of public statements between Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has raised hopes that surveys for the Crete-Cyprus electricity interconnector could resume without disruption, as Greece prepares to issue a NAVTEX maritime notice for operations by the Abeille Marengo survey vessel.

Speaking to Greek newspaper Ta Nea, Fidan said Turkey required written notification rather than merely verbal communication, specifying the activities to be carried out and their geographical coordinates. “We intend to carry out specific activities in a particular area. Here are the coordinates. That is all we are asking for,” he said.

Shortly afterwards, Gerapetritis, responding to a question on Mega News, insisted that Greece was the only country from which authorisation had been, and would be, sought for the Greece-Cyprus interconnector. “Providing information about the survey is something that could be possible, with the clear understanding that it does not constitute an authorisation procedure,” he said.

The statements appear to support information published by Proto Thema on Sunday concerning a Greek diplomatic formula under which the formal application would be submitted to Greece, while Turkey and Cyprus would simultaneously receive information about the planned activities. Crucially, the communication would not amount to a request for permission.

Under this arrangement, Turkey is expected to portray the information provided as a formal request and may issue its own NAVTEX. Greece would then likely respond with a counter-NAVTEX, allowing survey operations to proceed under Greek authorisation while Ankara maintained that the activities were also taking place with its consent.

Greece prepared for any Turkish response

Asked about the possibility of a more forceful Turkish reaction, Gerapetritis said Greece was prepared for every potential scenario but saw no indication that Ankara intended to intervene. “There does not appear to be any intention on Turkey’s part to respond in this way, and it would be preferable if it did not, given that this is not solely a Greek project. It involves French interests and European funding,” he said.

He also argued that Turkey’s European ambitions were incompatible with threatening a project backed by the European Union. “You cannot threaten a project with a European orientation while simultaneously seeking to become part of the European family. We are prepared for every eventuality, but I believe there should be no reaction,” Gerapetritis added.

No immediate move to extend territorial waters south of Crete

Addressing public discussion about the possibility of immediately extending Greece’s territorial waters south of Crete to 12 nautical miles, the foreign minister reiterated that Athens would not act impulsively.

He stressed that Greece followed a strategic plan and would exercise its sovereign right to extend its territorial waters whenever it considered the timing appropriate.