Cyprus and Israel close to agreement
A note of optimism for a resolution of the Cyprus-Israel dispute over the Aphrodite deposit is being sounded following contacts between the two sides at the level of energy ministers in Nicosia on Monday.
As was officially announced during the official visit to Cyprus of the minister of energy of the State of Israel, Karine Elharrar, she and Cyprus’ Minister of Energy, Trade and Industry Natasa Pilides agreed to continue the constructive process on the issue of the Aphrodite and Ishai deposits, with the aim of a fair and speedy resolution of the dispute.
The working groups have made progress on key aspects and have developed a roadmap for future negotiations. Both sides expressed optimism about the chances of settling the issue and encouraged the companies involved to continue their own dialogue.
After the conclusion of the consultations, Pilides said that Cyprus and Israel “share a common vision for the full exploitation of the potential of the natural gas reserves of the Eastern Mediterranean, thus diversifying both the sources and routes of energy to Europe.”
