US supports Greece, Cyprus, Israel power initiative

The United States is “supportive of connecting distribution grids of mainland Europe to Cyprus and Israel via the EuroAsia Interconnector,” a spokesperson for the State Department said on Thursday, after Ankara on Monday formally protested a memorandum of understanding signed last week between Israel, Greece and Cyprus for the construction of a 2,000-megawatt undersea electricity cable.

“It is a cost-effective and flexible route that can be used not only for electricity but as a platform to deploy other renewable energy sources,” the US official told a press briefing with regards to the project.

The spokesman also added that the US “supports all efforts to reduce tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean” and welcomes the resumption of exploratory talks between Greece and Turkey in Athens this week, saying that the meeting was a sign of “commitment of both governments to this process.”