Egypt, Cyprus discuss boosting Eastern Med gas pipeline ties

The Egyptian Minister of Petroleum, Tarek El-Molla, and Cyprus’s Minister of Energy, Natasa Pilides, discussed plans to boost cooperation in the fields of oil and gas especially in the Eastern Mediterranean.

In a statement, Egypt said the two ministers also discussed plans to convert the East Mediterranean Gas Forum into an intergovernmental organisation.

The officials agreed to meet within two weeks to complete the procedures for the forum.

According to the statement, Al-Molla said that Egypt’s partnership with Cyprus “aims to achieve economic integration between the two countries in the field of natural gas to exploit the available gas resources and distinct infrastructure to achieve mutual benefits for the people of both countries.”

The natural wealth of the Mediterranean has been disputed between Egypt, Cyprus and Greece on the one hand and Turkey on the other.

Cairo accused Ankara of taking unilateral actions and increasing tensions in the Mediterranean by sending a second ship to the disputed northern Cypriot coast to explore for gas.

READ: Turkey temporarily suspends oil, gas exploration in East Med