Cyprus, Greece and Israel ready to sign EastMed agreement

Leaders of Cyprus, Greece and Israel said on Thursday they were ready to proceed with an interstate agreement concerning the EastMed pipeline, following their trilateral deliberations in Beer Sheva. The United States of America also lend support to the project, as stated by their Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman.

Speaking after the Trilateral Summit, President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades said the decision to go ahead was among the most important and substantial decisions taken during the Summit. “We have reached an agreement,” he said adding that the text will be signed once it receives the approval of the European Commission.
 
He said moreover that together with the Prime Ministers of Greece and Israel, Alexis Tsipras and Benjamin Netanyahu respectively, they reconfirmed their political determination to promote the subsea electricity cable EuroAsia Interconnector.
 
Taking the floor, Netanyahu said EastMed was “a pipeline for prosperity”. He said moreover that “we are ready to sign an agreement” which is expected to happen in 2019, in Greece.

The Israeli PM noted that the pipeline is an important project for Europe’s energy security, for the economies of Cyprus, Greece and Israel and for reinforcing the already important cooperation between the three countries.

On his part, the Prime Minister of Greece said EastMed was a project of particular geopolitical value and importance, aiming to secure the flow and transportation of energy sources from the Southeastern Mediterranean to Europe.
 
Speaking in general about the trilateral cooperation, he said the aim was to include in the future more countries with energy resources in the region, adding that “we aim to exclude nobody.”
 
US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman also took the floor, noting that EastMed is “of great importance for the stability and prosperity of the Middle East and Europe.”

He added that the USA wholly supports the project and its goals that help diversify energy sources throughout the entire region and to help bring energy security to Europe.

The Ambassador also said that the USA supports the trilateral partnership between Israel, Greece and Cyprus, calling it “an anchor of stability in the eastern Mediterranean.”

The three leaders said that the next trilateral Summit will be held near the ancient city of Knossos, in the island of Crete.