The Great Sea Interconnector (GSI), a planned lifeline for energy transmission between Greece, the Greek Cypriot administration and Israel, faces the danger of postponement by France, its main contractor, Greek media reported. The move comes after Libya approved a maritime jurisdiction deal it signed with Türkiye seven years ago.
The Ta Nea newspaper reported that France was apparently unaware of the scale of the problem between Türkiye and Greece “nor the danger from Libya” before the Libyan House of Representatives greenlit the memorandum of understanding with Türkiye last week. The newspaper added that France suggested postponing the project “for evaluating the situation further,” but Greece opposed any change to the plans.
Athens was angered when Libya approved the deal, which deals a blow to Greek plans for Mediterranean domination. Türkiye and Greece compete for rights in the vast sea. Soon after the deal was approved, Türkiye announced a navigational telex (Navtex) in the Mediterranean (a notice containing navigational and maritime safety warnings), citing work on a natural gas pipeline project between Türkiye and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) until late December. Like the France-led project, the gas pipeline will be a lifeline for the TRNC, which has been isolated from the international community, which refuses to recognize its sovereignty. The pipeline will connect Türkiye’s Mersin to the TRNC’s Girne (Kyrenia), covering a distance of about 101 kilometers, including a 4-kilometer pipeline across land.
The Türkiye-Libya deal also drew the ire of the European Union, which counts Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration among its members.
Were Ankara able to implement the agreement, Türkiye could gain access to large, undiscovered gas deposits, but the deal covers a vast area claimed by Greece.
Greece and Egypt have their own deal covering much of the same area, while Türkiye also has maritime disputes with the Greek Cypriots, as well as with Athens in the Aegean.
When Ankara previously pushed its claims in 2019-2020, including by sending a hydrocarbon survey vessel to drill off the island of Cyprus, it prompted the European Union to threaten sanctions and France to send a warship and jets.
Beset by instability since the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi, Libya is divided between a U.N.-recognized government in Tripoli and a rival administration in the east backed by military commander Khalifa Haftar.
Seven years later, Türkiye has rebuilt ties with eastern Libya, gained a foothold on both sides of the country and is pushing for reunification.
The ratification of the maritime deal “is a major diplomatic success for Ankara, which has managed to formalize good relations with both Libyan sides,” Dorothee Schmid of the French Institute of International Relations told AFP.
By ratifying the deal, Saddam Haftar, the military leader’s son and heir apparent, sought “to prove to Ankara that he can be a reliable partner who delivers,” said Claudia Gazzini of the International Crisis Group.
The vote comes as Washington and the United Nations are also pushing for the reunification of the oil-rich country, with the Haftars eyeing key positions in a future unified Libya.
In recent years, economic rights in the Eastern Mediterranean have become a major geopolitical flashpoint.
That stems from a series of gas field discoveries that “put an end to the tacit consensus among Mediterranean states not to claim EEZs (exclusive economic zones) in their maritime waters,” wrote Thierry Duchesne of the French Foundation for Strategic Research and Issues.
Exploration from 2009 onward uncovered significant gas reserves off Israel and the island of Cyprus, while Egypt discovered the Zohr field in 2015.
Today, both sides of Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon and Türkiye claim rights over the same waters. Ankara, however, appears to be pushing ahead with its claims.
In June 2025, state energy company Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) and Libya’s National Oil Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding to conduct marine geological and geophysical studies in Libyan waters.
Meanwhile, Libya’s first oil and gas licensing round in 17 years included an offshore block won by a consortium including TPAO, although it was in an area close to the Libyan coast and not in disputed waters.
Libya’s approval gives Türkiye “stronger political backing for offshore surveys and negotiations over exploration,” Riccardo Gasco, an analyst at Istanbul-based research institute Istanpol, wrote.
“The next test will come at sea, where survey vessels operate, and will determine whether drilling projects advance and planned energy links can proceed under pressure,” he added.
