Greek Cyprus, Israel, Greece close ranks on east Mediterranean energy cooperation

NICOSIA - Agence France-Presse

Cypriot president Nicos Anastasides, center, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, right, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands during their meeting at the presidential palace in capital Nicosia in the mediterranean island of Cyprus, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2016. AP Photo

Greek Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades was on Jan. 28 hosting a three-way meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras focused on energy cooperation between the Mediterranean states.

While the alliance has emerged around gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean, water resources and tourism were also high on the agenda of the talks, said Greek Cypriot government spokesman Nikos Christodoulides.

“This meeting does not go against anyone. We are only looking for the benefit of us and the states in the region,” Tsipras was quoted in Israeli media as saying at a separate meeting with Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Jan. 27, referring to Greece’s NATO partner Turkey.

With Israel finding large reserves of gas close to where Greek Cyprus is drilling, the two countries are looking to cooperate on energy issues such as exporting Israeli gas.