Israel, Cyprus Tends to Reach Agreement for Aphrodite-Ishai by the End of 2023
Cypriot Minister of Energy George Papanastasiou has met with his Israeli counterpart Israel Katz to hold bilateral energy talks.
According to a statement issued by the Israel Energy Ministry, the two ministers discussed the Aphrodite-Ishai matter and are committed to continuing negotiations aiming to reach an agreement by the end of 2023.
They also explored means of cooperation for developing regional natural gas infrastructure, including the Cyprus Gateway initiative, which aims to transfer natural gas through Cyprus to Europe, including from Israeli natural gas resources.
The Ministers expressed their commitment to initiate technical discussions through two expert groups for electricity and gas pipeline interconnection with the aim to convene in July 2023.
Moreover, the two ministers discussed the electricity interconnection between Israel and Cyprus, meant to connect the electricity grids of the two countries, with the goal of making progress ahead of COP28.
For his part, Papanastasiou said that “We discussed about how the current energy crisis highlights the need for energy diversification, security of supply and increased interconnectivity, and we agreed to expedite our discussions in various levels, in a result-oriented manner in order to create a reliable energy corridor from the Eastern Mediterranean. In this framework, we focus on the electrical interconnection between Cyprus and Israel as well as how Cyprus can serve as a Gateway for Israeli gas to Europe.”
While, Katz commented, “The enduring alliance and shared vision between Israel and Cyprus resonate powerfully, and in the present era, the energy sector assumes a pivotal role as a bedrock for fortifying the bonds between our nations. It is within this context that my fervent vision of propelling the State of Israel into a vibrant energy bridge connecting the East and West finds its manifestation, steadfastly contributing to regional stability. Undoubtedly, Cyprus stands as an indispensable partner in the realization of this audacious vision, and I extend my gratitude to Minister Papanastasiou for graciously accepting my invitation. With great anticipation, I eagerly look forward to forging ahead, achieving significant milestones in our collaborative endeavors spanning the domains of natural gas and electricity.”
