Energy cooperation between Israel, Cyprus and Greece was on the agenda of a very high-profile meeting in Jerusalem on Wednesday between the leaders of the three countries, with the presence of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo lending additional diplomatic clout to the contacts.
In an indirect reference to Turkey, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the host, Greek PM Alexis Tsipras and Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades referred to defense against malicious influences in the east Mediterranean and the wider Middle East.
The now Erdogan-dominated Turkish state has repeatedly used threats, intimidation and, at times, “gunboat diplomacy” to try and prevent Cyprus from exploiting natural gas deposits in its EEZ and from conducting hydrocarbon exploration.
Ankara has gone so far as to try and dissuade energy multinationals from cooperating with the EU member-state.
All four leaders expressed satisfaction with the recent discovery of another natgas deposit in Cypriot waters, while Tsipras said Athens backs all efforts to create a secure network for energy transports from the east Mediterranean, i.e. Israel and Cyprus, via Greece, to Europe.
Chief among the prospects for strategic trilateral cooperation is the construction and operation of the East Med pipeline.
