The timeline for laying the undersea cable for the Greece-Cyprus electrical interconnection (GSI) is expected to be finalized in Paris today — a project that has become a major flashpoint in Greek-Turkish relations. The French management company Meridiam, in collaboration with ADMIE and Nexans, appears to have completed all preliminary work ahead of launching seabed surveys. At the political level, the matter is expected to be discussed during a one-on-one meeting between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and French President Emmanuel Macron, who is expected to offer political support to Greece.
Gerapetritis: “The cable will absolutely be laid”
Responding to Turkey’s provocations, Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis made Greece’s position crystal clear on Wednesday: the country will proceed with its plans. “The Greece-Cyprus electrical interconnection cable will absolutely be laid. This is both a European obligation and something that will be carried out in line with the company’s schedule,” he stated firmly. Through a series of public interventions, Greece’s top diplomat has been charting a dual-track strategy in response to Ankara’s escalating challenges. On one hand, Athens keeps communication channels open, inviting its neighbor to the negotiating table on the one issue Greece has put forward — the delimitation of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf boundaries. On the other hand, it signals unequivocally that Greece is prepared to defend its sovereign rights by any means necessary, including on the ground. In an interview with SKAI television, Gerapetritis stressed that Greece is ready “for every eventuality,” while striking a reassuring tone, noting he does not fear the prospect of a hot incident. “We neither desire nor anticipate any armed incident. At the same time, it is obvious that we are prepared for anything,” he said pointedly.
Also in the spotlight is Greece’s unilateral right to extend its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles, with the area south of Crete emerging as a possible implementation scenario. “We have stated repeatedly that extending territorial waters to 12 nautical miles is a sovereign prerogative of the Greek state, derived from the International Law of the Sea. We have never renounced it,” the Foreign Minister reiterated. It is worth noting that the Greek government had previously informed Turkey of this position through a verbal note, in response to Ankara’s moves to establish two maritime parks beyond Turkish territorial waters.
These statements triggered a sharp reaction from Turkish media. The pro-government newspaper Milliyet described Gerapetritis’s remarks about readiness for on-the-ground intervention as “scandalous,” while simultaneously noting that the Greek minister “gave no date as to when this step would be taken.”
Meanwhile, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry appears to be “roaring.” Marking the 104th anniversary of the Asia Minor Catastrophe, it published a provocative post accusing the Greek army of “systematic and premeditated massacres” against the civilian population, as well as “scorched earth” tactics during the period 1919–1922.
The heightened tensions in Greek-Turkish relations have in recent weeks fueled discussions about the possibility of an armed confrontation between the two countries — a scenario rejected by all sides. Gerapetritis himself referred to “historically ignorant warmongers” who would seek to stoke hostility that could dangerously destabilize regional security.
“The best way to avoid war is to prepare for it systematically”
Former Greek Ambassador to Washington Alexandros Mallias is sounding the alarm in an exclusive interview with parapolitika.gr about what an armed conflict could mean in 2026. “War is the worst thing. War is destruction. It is devastating — primarily for the defeated, but also for the aggressor, who sustains unprecedented losses. Let me say something that may surprise you. A Greek-Turkish armed conflict in 2026 would not have the characteristics it might have had in the past — ten, twenty, or fifty years ago. It would be a total war. And I also fear that no one — meaning the United States — would be in a position to intervene. So if you are going to wage a war, you must have concluded that what you seek to gain can be won at a relatively calculated, manageable cost. If the cost is many times greater than an uncertain gain, you think twice. Greece’s defense buildup and the policy of the government — and personally of Prime Minister Mitsotakis — is exactly that: to strengthen deterrence and deter Turkey’s aggressive intentions. The best way to avoid war is to prepare for it systematically,” he said.
Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis’s visit to the remote border island of Kastellorizo on Sunday carries particular diplomatic weight, as it is expected to send a powerful response to statements by President Erdoğan that indirectly but unmistakably conveyed threatening intentions toward the region.
