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Israel, Greece, Cyprus to sign gas pipeline deal

December 23, 2019 at 3:18 pm

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis arrives at the EU headquarters to attend for an European Union Summit in Brussels, Belgium on October 17, 2019 [Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu Agency]

Israel, Greece and Cyprus will sign in Athens early next year an agreement to build the largest marine gas pipeline in the world allowing Tel Aviv to export natural gas to Europe from the Leviathan facility.

Italy will also sign the agreement at a later date.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said yesterday that the expansion of the gas pipeline will allow for the transport of natural gas from the eastern Mediterranean to Europe.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades will sign the deal on 2 January.

The pipeline is expected to provide European countries with about ten per cent of their natural gas needs and reduce their dependence on Russian supplies.

Jordan’s National Electricity Company (NEPCO) yesterday announced the start of experimental pumping of natural gas from Israel in the new year, in implementation of the obligations of the agreement signed in 2016.

A statement issued by the company said that there will be a trial period that lasts for three months, as stipulated in the agreement, before gas is received on a daily basis.

READ: Israel to start exporting gas to Jordan, Egypt within weeks