Cyprus and Israel are studying the construction of a pipeline to connect the gas fields

George Papanastasiou, the Cypriot Minister of Energy, announced that talks are currently taking place between Cyprus and Israel on the construction of a pipeline linking the offshore gas fields of the two countries.

George Papanastasio said that it is possible to establish an "East Med" pipeline to transport gas from the eastern Mediterranean to the European continent as a passage for navigation from a center in Cyprus to transport gas after liquefying it. This came during Papanastasio's press conference.

He added that Cyprus will host a workshop with industry stakeholders on May 29.

He said that the establishment of the gas liquefaction center may take about two and a half years, while the construction of a pipeline with Israel will take approximately 18 months. It has been in talks for 10 years to build a 2,000-kilometer pipeline to transport eastern Mediterranean gas to Europe.

In January 2020, Greece, Cyprus and Israel signed an agreement to build an East Mediterranean gas pipeline (EastMed), as through this gas pipeline it is planned to supply energy carriers from the Israeli "Leviathan" field and the Cypriot "Aphrodite" field through the islands of Cyprus and Crete to the mainland. Main to Greece, and in the future to transport gas to Italy.

The United States initially actively supported the project because it reduced the European Union's dependence on Russian gas and reduced Russia's presence in the region, but then withdrew its support, citing environmental reasons, and the financial failure of the project. Turkey talks about the fact that the pipeline will create tension in the region, where it was built.