10月8日，雅典消息：美国国务卿马尔科·鲁比奥在接受希腊一家报纸采访时指出，美国支持欧盟倡议的地中海东部海底电缆项目，并将通过外交手段努力消除可能存在的障碍。
ATHENS, Oct 8 - The US supports an EU-backed undersea power cable scheme in the eastern Mediterranean and will use diplomacy to try to remove any possible hurdles, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told a Greek newspaper.
目前，希腊电网运营商IPTO正在推进这项耗资19亿欧元的工程，计划将欧洲大陆与塞浦路斯相连，未来还将延伸至以色列。但由于希腊与土耳其就电缆铺设海域存在争议，项目进展缓慢。
Greece's power grid operator IPTO is developing the €1.9 billion scheme, which aims to link the European mainland to Cyprus and later Israel, but progress has been slow amid a dispute between Greece and Turkey over the maritime area that will be designated for laying down the cable.
希腊希望尽快重启海底勘测以确定具体线路走向，但土耳其认为此举需事先获得双方协调，因为该区域涉及2019年土耳其与利比亚签署的海上协议，而希腊对此协议不予承认。
Greece wants to resume seabed surveying to determine the route soon, a move Turkey says would need prior coordination between the two countries as it crosses an area under a 2019 maritime deal with Libya, which Athens has rejected.
鲁比奥在周四发表的谈话中表示，美国对该项目“高度重视”，认为其有助于实现能源供应多元化。鉴于俄罗斯在乌克兰发动战争以及霍尔木兹海峡局势紧张，这种多元化战略显得尤为必要。
Rubio said in the interview with Kathimerini newspaper, published on Thursday, that the US was "very committed" to the project as it promotes energy supply diversification, which he said was necessary due to Russia's war in Ukraine and the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.
他还强调：“我们清楚目前存在一些潜在阻碍，也知道有哪些因素在干扰项目推进。我们将动用外交资源，向各方阐明该项目对我们的重要性及其深远意义，期待最终能找到妥善解决方案。”
"We understand there are some potential impediments, there are some things standing in the way, and we intend to use our diplomatic efforts to remind all parties how important this is to us and why this matters. And I hope to find resolutions," he said.
今年8月，法国投资集团Meridiam已签署协议，成为该项目的控股股东。
French investment group Meridiam signed in August an agreement to become the majority shareholder in the project.
作为唯一未与欧盟其他成员国实现电网互联的欧盟成员国，塞浦路斯有望通过这条电缆显著提升自身能源安全水平。
Cyprus is the only EU country that has no link to other members' electricity markets, and the cable aims to improve its energy security.