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Cyprus backs multi-billion electric cable television link from Europe to Mideast

Cyprus will support a multi-billion euro electric transmission cable television linking the power grids of Europe to the Middle East, a source near the matter said on Tuesday.

The so-called Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) seeks to link the transmission networks of Greece via Crete, Cyprus and ultimately Israel in a project costing 2.4 billion euros ($ 2.7. billion). As far as Cyprus, the cable television is approximated at 1.9. billion euros.

The government chose to support the job at a. cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the source, who spoke on condition. of privacy, stated. The level of Cyprus's participation was. unclear with the source stating that would be chosen later on.

George Papanastasiou, Cyprus's Energy Minister, was due. to make statements later on Tuesday, an announcement from Cyprus's. presidency stated.

On conclusion, it will be the longest, at 1,240 km, and. inmost, at 3,000 metres, high voltage direct current (HVDC). interconnector worldwide. The European Union has said it is. ready to finance part of it, which, at present, is slated to. be total by around 2030.

The ambitious task discuss a complicated patchwork. of overlapping jurisdiction claims between Greece, Cyprus and. local competing Turkey in the Mediterranean.

Cyprus had actually looked for clarity over what it would pay towards. the job, and what would take place if 'geopolitical dangers' - the. possible opposition of Turkey - occurred, causing delays and. possible extra expenses.

We are speaking about international waters, so in this. regard countries are permitted to lay pipelines and cables and so. forth, stated Harry Tzimitras, an academic and Director of the. PRIO Cyprus Centre and who has investigated thoroughly on the. subject.

However there are certain areas that Turkey is declaring as. its own continental rack and that being the case, Turkey's. argument is that previous consent is needed, he said.

Although that claim - of prior permission - would be 'difficult. to sustain in the global legal order', Turkey wasn't. pursuing that route, Tzimitras stated.

To my mind, the nations worried are typically less. focused on legal processes; it all seems to be boiling down to. political procedures and to military power posturing, Tzimitras. said.

Turkey had actually sent marine assets in June to watch a ship. performing cable-related study work close to a Greek island,. and has on occasion blocked ships tasked with gas studies. offshore Cyprus.

(source: Reuters)