Turkish delegation visits Jerusalem to discuss joint Mediterranean gas pipeline

 

While delegations in Jerusalem progress in their discussions to construct a natural gas pipeline from Israel to Turkey and on to Europe, Israel’s Energy Ministry Director General Shaul Meridor is set to meet soon with Italian, Cypriot & Greek ministers for talks on a different pipeline project.

By Hezi Sternlicht

 

A delegation from the Turkish Energy Ministry is currently visiting Israel for talks about a joint gas pipeline that would pump gas from Israel to Turkey and Europe.

The project, which has been under consideration for some time, was also the focus of Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz’s visit to Turkey in October.

Steinitz attended the World Energy Congress in Istanbul and met with Turkish counterpart Berat Albayrak in the first meeting between high-ranking Israeli and Turkish officials since the two countries reconciled following the six-year rift between them over the 2010 Mavi Marmara incident.

In a separate pipeline project, Energy Ministry Director General Shaul Meridor is scheduled to visit Brussels this month to meet with his counterparts from Greece, Cyprus and Italy. If that project comes to fruition, it will become the longest underwater pipeline in the world, stretching some 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles).

Meridor’s meetings in Brussels are intended to set the stage for a summit of the energy ministers of the four countries to discuss advancing the project, which is expected to cost some $5.9 billion.

 

View original Israel Hayom publication at:
http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=40147