Legal framework confirms GSI cable installation does not require Turkish permission

Recent legal analysis clarifies that the installation of the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) submarine cable does not require permission from Turkey. Experts, including international law specialist Dr. Aspasia Aligizaki, cite Article 79 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to support this stance. The convention establishes that all states maintain the right to lay submarine cables on the continental shelf beyond territorial waters without obtaining external consent from neighboring coastal states.

The distinction lies in the legal treatment of cables versus pipelines. While UNCLOS mandates coastal state consent for the construction of pipelines, no such requirement exists for submarine cables. Coastal states are limited to exercising reasonable measures regarding the exploration and exploitation of their own natural resources, but they cannot legally block or prevent the installation and maintenance of international cables. This framework ensures that infrastructure projects like the GSI remain legally shielded from interference by states that are not parties to the project.