Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry George Papanastasiou travels to Israel on Wednesday to meet his Israeli counterpart, in a bid to discuss the possible import of natural gas and the associated infrastructure, as well as the dispute between “Aphrodite” reservoir in the Cypriot EEZ and “Yishai” in Israel.

Papanastasiou’s visit to the neighbouring country takes place following a workshop held in Nicosia in late May aiming to interest over the construction of a pipeline to transport natural gas quantities from the Israeli gas fields to Cyprus both for electricity generation as well as possible exports to international markets via an LNG terminal.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry, on Thursday morning Papanastasiou will meet with his Israeli counterpart, Israel Katz, followed by a meeting of the two countries’ delegations “that will discuss alternative solutions for the transport of natural gas from the Eastern Mediterranean to Cyprus for electricity generation and exports to international markets.”

The agenda also includes the commencement of consultations between the two countries aiming at concluding to a bilateral agreement of cooperation for the construction of infrastructure linking the two counties both with a natural gas pipeline as well as a power cable, the Ministry added.

The two delegations will also discuss the negotiating timeframe concerning the dispute of the gas reserves “Aphrodite” in the Cypriot EEZ and adjacent “Yishai” situated in the Israeli EEZ.

Papanastasiou will return in Cyprus tomorrow afternoon.