“The issue with the NAVTEX for work on the electricity interconnector cable has been resolved,” Turkey’s foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, told Kathimerini in response to a question, adding that “everything is normal, everything is fine”.
The head of Turkish diplomacy made the statement at a critical juncture for the restart of surveys for the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI). Meanwhile, the French research vessel Abeille Marengo is preparing to sail from Heraklion towards the area east of Karpathos and on to Cyprus.
Fidan’s statement marks a new development on the diplomatic front. However, it does not in itself answer the key question: whether Turkey will in practice allow the surveys to proceed unhindered, or seek to impose its own interpretation of the required notification and authorisation procedures.
The test on the ground
As Euro2day.gr reported earlier, the restart of work on the cable will be tested in international waters stretching from east of Karpathos to Cyprus, along with the outcome of behind-the-scenes talks between Paris and Ankara.
Until recently, the picture remained fluid in the wake of the exchange of NAVTEX between Greece and Turkey. Turkey’s counter-NAVTEX challenged the legality of the notices issued by Athens and Nicosia, arguing that the process for obtaining the necessary Turkish consent had not been completed.
The Turkish foreign ministry also set out this position in a statement, arguing that activities in areas Ankara considers part of its continental shelf require its approval. In this context, it cited the unilateral filing of coordinates with the UN on 18 March 2020.
Greek diplomatic sources responded that the Law of the Sea is clear and allows no other interpretation. They stressed that the French research vessel’s work would proceed in line with the company’s operational schedule, in Greek and Cypriot territorial waters.
Fidan’s statement that the issue of the NAVTEX has been resolved carries particular weight. The question is whether it reflects a substantive understanding that will also be borne out operationally, or whether Ankara will continue to advance its longstanding positions.
Abeille Marengo sets sail
On the operational front, weather permitting, the Abeille Marengo is expected to sail from Heraklion shortly. Its destination is the international waters east of Karpathos and the area extending towards Cyprus.
According to information available, the vessel will spend its first few days calibrating its equipment. This involves checking and adjusting its sonar systems, GPS positioning systems and seismic equipment, such as hydrophones.
This phase will also provide the first practical test of the restart of the surveys. The conduct of the Turkish side, any communications by radio and the presence of Turkish units will show whether the statement also signals a change at the operational level.
Turkish consent
Until recently, analysts believed Ankara might seek written notification of the surveys and then present it as a request for, and receipt of, its own authorisation. This is the key difference between the two approaches.
Greece believes the surveys can proceed under the existing framework of the Law of the Sea. Turkey, by contrast, insists that activities in areas it claims as part of its continental shelf must be coordinated with its competent authorities.
The Turkish foreign minister’s statement leaves open the possibility that some form of diplomatic settlement has been reached, without clarifying its terms. Whether it concerns only the notification process or also acceptance of the surveys taking place will become clear in practice.
Signals from Washington
The broader geopolitical context is also part of the equation. One assessment was that Turkey would avoid a serious escalation over the cable, as this could further strain its relations with Washington.
The new political landscape in the US Congress, with Democrats strengthening their position and set to take control of both chambers in early 2027, limits Donald Trump’s room for manoeuvre in meeting Turkish demands, most notably over the F-35s.
Meanwhile, behind-the-scenes contacts with France are in focus. The French presence through the Abeille Marengo gives the issue a European dimension.
One scenario under consideration was that Turkey’s response would be limited to radio interventions (hailing), with both sides maintaining their differing legal positions but the surveys ultimately going ahead.
Following Fidan’s statement, attention is now shifting from the diplomatic dispute to events on the ground. The Abeille Marengo’s progress and Ankara’s position over the coming days will show whether the statement translates into a genuine de-escalation around the Greece-Cyprus electricity interconnector.