Akinci says EastMed energy project costly, not conducive to Cyprus settlement

Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci on Thursday criticized the signing of an undersea pipeline by the leaders of Greece, Cyprus and Israel claiming that it makes no economic sense and it would not help to solve the island dispute.
The 1,900-kilometer EastMed pipeline is longer and costlier than other alternatives, Akinci said in a written statement.
Akinci added that the project "will not help solve the Cyprus problem," in the same way that Cyprus' membership of the European Union did not help solve the problem.
Turkish-Cypriots, as well as Turkey, cannot be left out of the Eastern Mediterranean equation, he said.
The leaders of Greece, Israel and Cyprus were meeting in Athens Thursday to sign the deal.