The historic agreement signed on Wednesday between Cyprus and Lebanon on the delimitation of their respective Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), along with their intention to interconnect their electricity grids via an undersea cable, demonstrates that in energy matters there are no taboos. There are only the realities of geography and the bigger picture of energy self‑sufficiency and the green transition. This lesson applies not only to Turkey - whose reactions suggest it fails to grasp the realities - but also to the Republic of Cyprus.
Those who live in a fantasy world and dream of “revenge” through energy issues would do well to wake up soon. Did Ankara truly believe it could indefinitely prevent the signing of an EEZ agreement between Cyprus and Lebanon? The very fact that it was delayed for nearly 20 years does not mean Lebanon would miss the opportunity to move ahead with its own gas exploration and extraction simply to please Turkey.
Excluding a dominant player?
The same will happen with electrical interconnections in the region. Everyone will eventually connect with everyone else as part of the green transition and the pursuit of energy autonomy. Those who operate through the logic of exclusions and geopolitical advantages will once again be proven wrong. Turkey may currently be blocking surveys for the Cyprus–Crete electrical interconnection, but will it do the same with every other cable in the region? Will it obstruct the cable from Saudi Arabia to Europe, or any cables to Cyprus from Lebanon, Israel or Egypt? Or does the Republic of Cyprus believe Turkey will somehow be excluded from the East Mediterranean’s electrical interconnection network - one in which, whether we like it or not, it is a dominant player?
In response to a similar point I made on “Show Me the Money” on P 107.6 radio, a listener asked whether I was implying we should connect electrically with Turkey. My answer is yes. Not only should we not behave like spoilt children, but through our actions we should actively pursue it. We should include it in the confidence‑building measures or in the overall negotiation package for resolving the Cyprus problem. We must show that we neither fear recognising the natural interconnections dictated by logic and geography, nor have taboos about engaging with Turkey. Above all, we must show we are not hypocrites.
The bigger picture
Greece is already interconnected with Turkey, and we both import and export electricity to and from the occupied areas. And we are not the only ones doing this, nor will we be. The Asia Super Grid aims to interconnect Japan, South Korea, Russia and China, and extend as far as Mongolia. If these countries - whose political relations are no less tense than those between Cyprus and Turkey - can see the bigger picture, then we must do the same. We must recognise the bigger picture of the green transition and the immediate need for much more electrical power.
A future that is already here, driven by the insatiable energy demands of data centres, artificial intelligence and electric vehicles. Within this bigger picture, the only way to serve your geopolitical interests is not to place them as obstacles. Realities will sweep them aside, whether you are Cyprus or Turkey. Instead, you set them aside and become constructive. You take the lead and shape the game of electrical and energy interconnection, shifting from “victim” to “player”. Unless, of course, you prefer - or have grown accustomed - to being the victim.