Greece, Israel, Cyprus agree to continue cooperation on energy projects

Greece, Israel and Cyprus have agreed to strengthen cooperation to promote common interests in the Mediterranean and the wider region, the three countries said in a joint communique issued after the eighth trilateral summit held in Jerusalem on Tuesday.

“Israel, Greece and Cyprus view the energy sector, and in particular, natural gas and renewable energy, as a solid foundation for cooperation in the region, based on international law, including the law of the sea and the respect of all states to exercise their sovereign rights in their respective EEZ/Continental Shelf,” said Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Naftali Bennett and Nikos Anastasiades.

“We express the importance of respecting of sovereignty and sovereign rights in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea and to preserve the stability in this region.”

The countries reconfirmed their support of all projects of common interests, adding that they will continue to promote energy and electricity connectivity between Israel, Greece and Cyprus through the Euro-Asia interconnector project, including transmission of energy, produced by renewables, in-line with the outcomes of the recent COP26 summit and in preparation of the COP27 to be held in Egypt. 

The three countries also reiterated their “full and unwavering support” to the ongoing negotiation process for a “just, comprehensive and viable settlement of the Cyprus problem,” based on international law and the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.

The leaders also noted the “3+1” cooperation framework with the US which they said indicates the importance the three countries attach to the US role in the Eastern Mediterranean.

“The ongoing turmoil in our region has triggered unprecedented migratory flows that pose challenges and can only be met by multilateral, multifaceted action,” they said.

The next trilateral Summit will be held in Cyprus in the second part of 2022.