George Lakkotrypis

Cyprus' cabinet ratified a bill on Thursday on the EastMed gas pipeline project, the country's Energy Minister George Lakkotrypis said in a statement. 
Speaking after the meeting, Lakkotrypis said this project "has a chance to materialize."

EastMed Intergovernmental Agreement to be signed in Athens today between Greece's Energy Ministers Kostis Hatzidakis, Israel's Yuval Steinitz and Cyprus's George Lakkotrypis, in the presence of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades.

Turkey warned the Greek Cypriot administration over its hydrocarbon-related activities in the Eastern Mediterranean late on July 13. 

Turkey has sent two ships and a submarine to monitor a drilling vessel off Cyprus, the military said yesterday, in a measure likely to increase tension.

Nicosia said the Turkish move was expected as Ankara wants to crank up the pressure over gas exploration, but will stop short of any military attack.

The promotion of energy interconnections between Eastern Mediterranean countries with the European Union will be discussed in the meeting of Energy Ministers of Greece, Cyprus and Israel Energy that will be held on Wednesday in Athens, with Greece claiming to play the role of energy bridge between the two sides.

Greek Cyprus has launched a third licensing round for offshore oil and gas drilling off the Mediterranean island's southern coast.

"The decision to launch this licensing round was based on the huge interest by international companies to carry out explorations offshore Cyprus despite the energy industry's not so favorable conditions," said government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides.

NICOSIA ? Cyprus signed an energy deal with Egypt on Monday that could see the island supplying its Mediterranean neighbor with gas.

Cyprus is keen to exploit the Aphrodite field off its southeastern coast but the reserves proven so far are not considered sufficient to make it viable for the island to develop onshore export infrastructure of its own.

Greek Cyprus signed an energy deal with Egypt on Feb. 16 that could see the island supplying its Mediterranean neighbour with gas.
      
Greek Cyprus is keen to exploit the Aphrodite field off its southeastern coast but the reserves proven so far are not considered sufficient to make it viable for the island to develop onshore export infrastructure of its own.
      

By Nikos Chrysoloras & Georgios Georgiou

Cyprus said success drilling in deep waters off the eastern Mediterranean island this year may offer Europe a way to loosen Russia’s grip on its energy supplies.