Cyprus says Turkey is blocking key power link to Europe

Cyprus says Turkey is obstructing the Great Sea Interconnector, a planned subsea electricity cable meant to link Israel, Cyprus and Greece and connect the island more directly to Europe’s power grid. Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos raised the issue in an interview on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, saying Ankara’s maritime claims in the eastern Mediterranean have delayed the €1.9 billion project. The European Union has already committed €657 million to the CyprusCrete section. The project is designed to carry up to 1,000 megawatts over more than 1,200 kilometers. Kombos said the cable would help end Cyprus’ electricity isolation, but added that regional disputes and legal disagreements have slowed progress. His comments came as tensions with Turkey were also reflected in criticism of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s U.N. speech on Gaza and in Cyprus’ broader dispute with Ankara over the divided island. Cyprus remains split between the internationally recognized government in the south and Turkish Cypriotadministered territory in the north. Kombos also said Cyprus is working to deepen ties with the United States through defense cooperation, joint exercises and wider regional partnerships.