France Notifies Turkey of GSI Works as Greece and Cyprus Issue Permits

08 Nov 2026, 22:15 by Bill Giannopoulos · Greek City Times

France has notified Turkey through diplomatic channels of the planned start of work on the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI), but the communication does not recognise any Turkish jurisdiction over the project, according to information reported by Greek broadcaster SKAI.

The clarification follows reports in the Turkish media suggesting that Ankara was awaiting written notification from Paris before work could proceed on the electricity interconnection linking Greece and Cyprus.

Journalist Stavros Ioannidis reported on SKAI’s main evening bulletin that the French side had simply informed Turkey that work was beginning.

“There was an update about the start of the works and nothing more,” he said, citing sources familiar with the diplomatic communication.

According to those sources, Greece issued the permits for work in the area concerning its continental shelf, while Cyprus authorised activities within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Turkey was informed as a third party, but the notification did not involve recognition of Turkish jurisdiction or the acceptance of any Turkish claims.

“It doesn’t matter whether it was done in writing, orally or in any other way. What matters is the essence, that it was a simple information to third parties and the permissions were given by Greece and Cyprus,” Ioannidis said.

French communication with Ankara attracts attention

The contact between Paris and Ankara has attracted attention in Turkey, particularly as French companies are involved in the implementation of the GSI project.

Turkish newspapers Hurriyet and Sozcu have closely followed developments surrounding the French research vessel Abeille Marengo, which is expected to conduct survey work in the Eastern Mediterranean as part of the project.

Hurriyet previously reported that Ankara was expecting written notification from France, linking the progress of the works to the completion of the communication process.

The newspaper also referred to a Turkish Foreign Ministry statement claiming that the relevant consent process had not been completed.

However, the account provided to SKAI maintains that France’s communication was simply an informational notification and did not affect the legal basis under which Greece and Cyprus issued the permits.

Mitsotakis highlights Greece and Cyprus’ role

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis described the issuance of permits for survey and cable-laying activities, alongside the relevant NAVTEX, as an important step towards advancing the GSI project.

In his morning social media post, Mitsotakis stressed that Greece and Cyprus are the authorities licensing the works within their respective maritime jurisdictions.

He also highlighted the project’s status as a development of common European interest, with French companies participating in its implementation.

The Prime Minister described the interconnector as strategically important for energy security, regional cooperation and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.

PASOK demands answers over France’s communication

The diplomatic contact between France and Turkey has also prompted questions from Greece’s opposition PASOK party.

Dimitris Mantzos, head of PASOK’s Foreign Affairs Committee, and Yiannis Maniatis, vice-president of the European Parliament’s Socialists and Democrats group, issued a joint statement seeking clarification from the government.

They asked whether communication had taken place between France and Turkey, what its precise purpose and content were, and whether the Greek government had been informed or had approved the communication and its wording in advance.

The two politicians called for detailed information about the actions of all parties involved and how Greek diplomacy assesses the potential consequences.

They also announced that PASOK would submit a relevant question to the European Parliament.

Their statement stressed that the study, implementation and completion of the submarine cable project must proceed exclusively under European law and the international law of the sea.

Turkish media invoke the 2024 Kasos confrontation

Turkey’s Sozcu newspaper has compared the latest developments to the July 2024 confrontation near Kasos, describing the situation as a potential “second Kasos crisis”.

During that incident, an Italian research vessel involved in cable-related work operated in an area claimed by both Greece and Turkey. Turkish warships and unmanned aerial vehicles were deployed, and the vessel subsequently withdrew.

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry has now described the activities of the French-flagged vessel as “illegal”, reiterating that Ankara is determined to protect what it considers its sovereign rights under international law.

Retired Turkish Rear Admiral Cem Gürdeniz also criticised the project, accusing Greece of attempting to undermine Turkey’s continental shelf claims through what he described as a technical infrastructure project.

“Greece is gambling once again. Under the guise of a technical project, it seeks to undermine our rights to the continental shelf. Our future in the seas cannot be negotiated,” Gürdeniz said.

The competing positions highlight the continuing sensitivity surrounding the GSI, which is intended to connect the electricity systems of Greece and Cyprus through a subsea cable.

The latest developments have placed renewed focus on France’s role, the legal basis for the permits issued by Athens and Nicosia, and the risk that the project could trigger another diplomatic confrontation in the Eastern Mediterranean.

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