JOINT STATEMENT following the Ministerial meeting between Greece-Cyprus-Israel and the United States Regarding cooperation in the field of Energy - MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY, GREECE

Athens, August 7th, 2019

The Energy Ministers of the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Kostas Hatzidakis, the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Georgios Lakkotrypis, the State of Israel, Mr. Yuval Steinitz, and the Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources of the United States of America, Mr. Francis Fannon, met today in Athens regarding cooperation in the field of energy, while affirming their shared commitment to promote peace, stability, security and prosperity in the Eastern Mediterranean region.

Mr. Fannon underlined the increasing and tangible support of the US government for the establishment of a structured quadrilateral mechanism for cooperation that focuses on energy matters.

The Ministers and the United States identified several significant areas of common interest, including, inter alia, infrastructure projects, renewable energy and energy storage, emergency preparedness, environmental protection and cyber security, while agreeing to establish a High Level Working Group (HLWG) that will highlight specific energy projects and propose ways of promoting their implementation. The Ministers have agreed to work towards signing an agreement for a joint emergency preparedness and response mechanism for offshore oil and gas operations. The HLWG will report its progress to the Ministers of Energy on a regular basis.

A new perspective to Turkey-EU relations - KATHIMERINI

2 MARCH 2018 : 17:15

Developments in the Eastern Mediterranean involving natural gas hold many benefits for the region’s countries including Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Israel, Egypt and the European Union in general as long as they serve common interests instead of causing tensions. Not just those concerning gas, but all energy projects in the Mediterranean have the potential to strengthen economic and political ties and alleviate security concerns. Unfortunately, there are ongoing disputes in the region concerning territorial waters and the continental shelf. In light of the above, there is an urgent need for common ground to be reached on mutual interests to resolve the existing conflicts. Without a proper solution, gas exploration work in the disputed areas will only lead to further problems. All sides may have their own justifications for their actions, but there is a need to adopt a new perspective to resolve problems.

Turkey and the EU share many of the same energy challenges. Both are lacking in domestic fossil fuel resources and are therefore reliant on imports for a significant portion of their energy needs. Natural gas poses the most pressing issue as Turkey and the EU remain heavily dependent on a single supplier, Russia. In 2016, Turkey imported 24.5 billion cubic meters (bcm) or 52.94 percent of its natural gas from Russia. The EU, by contrast, receives 39.5 percent of its gas imports from Russia, which – while lower than Turkey – conceals the fact that many EU countries, particularly in Eastern Europe, rely on Russia for close to 100 percent of their natural gas needs. Dependency on a single or few suppliers increases the risk of political and technical disruptions and decreases importers’ leverage.

Israeli sources: EU funding, better 'understanding' between Cyprus, Turkey necessary for East Med pipeline to materialize - NAFTEMPORIKI

Wednesday, 01 November 2017 14:42, UPD: 02/11/2017 10:10
V. Kostoulas

The prospect of securing EU funding and a "better understanding" between Cyprus and Turkey are judged as significant factors for achieving the construction of the East Med natural gas pipeline, which would link deposits exploited in the east Mediterranean with west European markets.

Israeli analysts well versed with the Netanyahu government's energy policy directly referred to these two factors in comments to "N" last month, while adding that the proven energy reserves comprise a valuable took in exercising policy in the wider region.

EU backs Israel-to-Italy pipeline to alter East Med energy chessboard - HURRIYET DAILY NEWS

Ministers of Cyprus, Italy, Israel & Greece, with EU Commissioner 

April/13/2017
Micha'el Tanchum

On April 3, the European Union and the governments of Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Israel pledged their support for the construction of the world’s longest undersea natural gas pipeline to transport Eastern Mediterranean gas to EU markets via Greece and Italy. Costing over $6 billion, the more than 2,000-kilometer mega-pipeline could transform the energy geopolitics of the region. The so-called Cross-Med (East Med) pipeline would reduce the EU’s reliance on Turkey’s Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) as the major supply route for non-Russian natural gas.

MEDREG calls for integrated, competitive Mediterranean gas market - NEW EUROPE

MARCH 14, 2017, 23:38 
By New Europe Online/KG

One of the priorities of the Maltese EU Presidency will be to draw attention on the region
The implementation of a stable regulatory framework is a prerequisite to attract investors and ensure energy security of supply, Turkish energy regulator (EMRA) Vice President and MEDREG representative Mehmet Erturktold a seminar in the European Parliament in Brussels on March 8.

He mentioned MEDREG report mapping out current and projected gas and electricity infrastructures in the Mediterranean basin, identifying the main barriers for investments and drawing a set of recommendations to overcome them. A survey submitted to Mediterranean regulators has revealed that the lack of clear institutional framework and regulatory obstacles constitute some of the biggest barriers to investments, Erturk said.

TurkStream to make large contribution to energy security in Greece - WORLD PIPELINES

Friday, 03 March 2017 09:36

Stephanie Roker

A working meeting between Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee, and Giorgos Tsipras, Secretary General for International Economic Relations at the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, took place at the Company’s headquarters on 1 March.

The parties expressed their appreciation for the current state of the Russian-Greek partnership in the energy sector and discussed its development prospects. A focus was placed on efforts for securing transit of Russian gas across Greece to Italy as part of the TurkStream project.

Israel, Cyprus, Greece boost energy ties - NEW EUROPE

Tsipras (L), Anastasiades (C), Netanyahu

DECEMBER 9, 2016 02:01

New Europe Online/KG

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades held a trilateral summit in Jerusalem on December 8, agreeing to boost energy cooperation.

Tsipras, who was accompanied by Environment and Energy Minister Giorgos Stathakis, said Greece aims to be an energy transit centre for Israeli and Cypriot natural gas to Europe.

The Greek premier said teams from the countries will discuss the East Med pipeline to transport gas from the Israeli and Cyprus offshore gas fields through Greece to other parts of Europe. The project is expected to boost European Union’s energy security, providing a new supply route and source of gas.

Turkey and the Energy Transit Question - CARNEGIE EUROPE

SEVERIN FISCHER
TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

For foreign and security policy analysts, pipelines tend to be the entry point into the world of energy. Pipelines create dependencies between countries, pipelines stay for decades, and pipelines have a highly symbolic political value.

In the European energy security debate, gas pipelines also have an identity function: you either support freeing Europe from its dangerous addiction to Russian gas by backing the Southern Gas Corridor—formerly known as “Nabucco” and designed to bring new gas supplies from the Caspian Basin, Central Asia, and Middle East regions into Europe—or you blindly follow the Kremlin’s breadcrumbs into the Nord Stream/South Stream-energy trap. Critical differentiation is rare.

Today, controversies over pipeline politics have a rather anachronistic flavor. This is mainly due to the growing flexibility of European—and partially global—natural gas markets in light of the massive increase in LNG supply, interconnectors, and spot market trade. This new market environment has not only changed the relationship between producers and consumers but has also altered the political and economic leverage of transit countries. This is especially important when looking at new transit countries, Turkey being a prominent example.