Cyprus has taken all the necessary steps falling within its remit regarding the NAVTEX for the start of seabed surveys for the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI), President Nikos Christodoulides said on Monday, while stressing that the issue was being handled with discretion in coordination with Greece and France.
He also said that the planned €25 million payment to Greece's Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO) for the electricity interconnection project was proceeding according to schedule.
In statements on the sidelines of the annual General Assembly of the Association of Large Investment Projects in Nicosia, the President was asked whether there were any developments regarding the NAVTEX, which is required for the commencement of the seabed surveys.
"On this particular issue, the less we say publicly, the better," he said, adding that there was an informal understanding on this approach with the Greek Prime Minister and the French President.
He stressed, however, that the Republic of Cyprus had taken all the necessary steps on its part.
Asked when the €25 million payment to IPTO would be released, he said that everything was proceeding according to plan and that the government was honouring the agreements in place.
"We are taking the necessary actions and, away from the public spotlight, we are doing what we need to do," he said.
GSI a planned subsea electricity cable linking the power grids of Cyprus, Greece and, potentially, Israel, aimed at ending Cyprus' energy isolation and integrating the island into the European electricity network. The project is being developed by Greece's IPTO, with Cyprus and Greece having agreed on arrangements for its implementation and financing. It has also received support from the European Union, which has designated it a Project of Common Interest and provided funding.
The project has faced delays and uncertainty, amid disagreements over its cost-sharing arrangements, financial viability and geopolitical challenges. The planned seabed surveys, for which a NAVTEX is required, are a key step towards advancing implementation.
The President was also asked about the Turkish Cypriot side's reaction to Cyprus' demarche to the European Union over a planned natural gas pipeline between Turkey and the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus.
He said he saw no reason for the Turkish Cypriot side to be displeased, insisting that Nicosia had acted correctly. He described the planned pipeline as an illegal action and noted that the European Union had also taken a position and made specific démarches towards Turkey.
