Cyprus Accuses Turkey of Obstructing Israel-Europe Energy Project Amid Regional Tensions

Cyprus has accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of hypocrisy and provocation regarding Gaza, while also asserting that Ankara is actively impeding a significant energy project designed to link Israel, Cyprus, and Europe. The Great Sea Interconnector, a planned subsea electricity cable, aims to connect Israel to Cyprus and subsequently to Greece, integrating the island into the European power grid.

Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos stated that Turkey has been issuing threats and acting upon them against Cyprus, particularly within its exclusive economic zone. "The main project of the electrical connection between Greece-Cyprus and then Cyprus-Israel has been blocked by Turkey because of illegal claims they have in terms of delimitation in the exclusive economic zone," Kombos told Fox News Digital in an interview. He characterized Erdoğan's rhetoric on Gaza as "hypocritical and provocative."

The Great Sea Interconnector project, estimated to cost approximately €1.9 billion, is envisioned to transmit up to 1,000 megawatts through over 1,200 kilometers of subsea cable. The European Union has committed €657 million to the Cyprus-Crete section of the project, which is intended to end Cyprus's isolation from the European electricity system and, in the future, establish a more direct connection for Israel to the European market.

Kombos highlighted that geopolitical tensions, stemming from competing Greek and Turkish maritime claims in the Eastern Mediterranean, have contributed to financial delays and challenges for the project. He expressed dismay over actions that disregard international law, stating, "The fact that we have someone challenging all the bases and all the norms of international law cannot be the answer to how we plan the future of our people."

During his address at the U.N. General Assembly on September 22, Erdoğan delivered a strong critique of Israel's actions in Gaza, accusing the Israeli government of refusing to end its "occupation" and describing Gaza as "the most inhumane and shameful concentration camp of our time." He also alleged that Israel possessed a "genocidal mindset," claims that Israel has consistently refuted.

Kombos, alongside Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, was present for Erdoğan's speech, viewing it as both hypocritical and provocative given Turkey's stance on the divided island of Cyprus. "It’s an ongoing violation, an act of aggression, of invasion, of occupation," Kombos said, contrasting Erdoğan's appeals to the U.N. Charter with Turkey's actions concerning Cyprus.

Cyprus has been divided since a 1974 Turkish military intervention, following a coup backed by Greece's military junta. The southern part of the island is governed by the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus, while the northern third is administered by Turkish Cypriots with Turkish support. A buffer zone patrolled by the U.N. separates the two sectors. Efforts to reunify the island have been unsuccessful, with the U.N.-backed framework proposing a bizonal, bicommunal federation, a concept that Turkey has recently countered by supporting a two-state solution.

Kombos indicated that Cyprus desires a resumption of negotiations based on the framework that collapsed in 2017, but he stressed that progress is contingent on Ankara's willingness. "We need Turkey to give the green light to the Turkish Cypriot leadership," he stated, adding that a two-state solution is incompatible with U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Recent U.N. initiatives aim to revive reunification talks. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres met with both Cypriot President Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman in late July to advance discussions toward a comprehensive settlement.

Kombos also voiced concerns regarding Turkey's potential acquisition of U.S. F-35 fighter jets, stating that it is a matter of concern for Cyprus and other regional nations, as it could upset regional balances.

Simultaneously, Cyprus has strengthened its strategic relationship with the United States. Kombos described the U.S.-Cyprus relationship as being at its highest point, citing increased strategic dialogue, military cooperation, joint exercises, and efforts to align Cypriot facilities with NATO standards. In early August, Washington renewed Cyprus's exemption from U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations for fiscal year 2027, enabling transfers of U.S. defense articles and services, and making Cyprus eligible for U.S. Foreign Military Sales and the Excess Defense Articles program.

"We want to make sure that we are an active, useful partner in the international system," Kombos remarked, emphasizing Cyprus's strategic location and its connections with Israel, Gulf states, Europe, and the U.S. as contributing to its growing regional importance.