EastMed pipeline deal signing at Israel-Cyprus-Greece summit

A three-way summit between Cyprus, Greece, and Israel with the participation of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to send a strong message to Ankara regarding energy security and its hostile behaviour in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the President

of Cyprus Nikos Anastasiades, and PM Alexis Tsipras will sign the deal on the construction of the EastMed Pipeline, expected to cost 6-7bn euros, which the US strongly supports as it is projected that it can cover 10 percent of Europe’s energy needs, reducing the great dependence on Russian energy sources.

As the Athens daily Ta Nea reported, the US supports the involvement of the Public Gas Corporation of Greece, Edison, and ExxonMobil in the investment scheme.

The summit was to conclude with the issuance of a joint statement.

As Cyprus’ Sigma Live reported, the meeting of the three leaders in the presence of the US Secretary of State will be followed by expanded talks with the participation of the energy and foreign ministers.

Afterwards the three countries’ teams will hold expanded talks with the participation of Pompeo.

Anastasiades will also hold bilateral talks with Pompeo.

The meeting in Jerusalem is one of the stops on Pompeo’s regional trip.

Aside from energy security, enhanced energy and military cooperation between the three countries and the broader geostrategic setting – with Cyprus and Greece playing an exceptionally upgraded role on the regional energy map -were high on the agenda.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras was accompanied by Foreign Minister Yorgos Katrougalos and Environment Minister Yorgos Stathakis.

The President of Cyprus, Nikos Anastasiades, was accompanied by Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulidis, Energy Minister Georgios Lakkotrypis, and government spokesman Prodromos Prodromou.

According to Israel’s Ambassador to Cyprus, Sammy Revel, Pompeo’s participation “constitutes a strong indication of support for the three-way framework and the increased cooperation between our countries”.