A disagreement between Israel and Cyprus over development of the Aphrodite gas reservoir is delaying the signing of a unitization agreement between the countries, designed to arrange the development of oil and natural gas reservoirs shared by the two countries and other cooperative energy efforts. Sources inform « Globes » that Minister of National Infrastructure, Energy, and Water Resources Yuval Steinitz, who was invited to Cyprus to discuss the promotion of joint projects for building a shared pipeline for exporting natural gas to Europe and laying an electrical cable between Israel and Cyprus, is delaying his trip until negotiations on the agreement, which have been taking place for over five years, are completed. Israel is demanding a role in the approval of development of the Aphrodite reservoir, which it says is partly in its waters.
OCT