BICOM

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday took part in the first ever tripartite summit alongside his Greek and Cypriot counterparts, at which the leaders pledged to cooperate on a number of issues, especially the energy sector.

Meeting in the Cypriot capital Nicosia, Netanyahu said that a three-way committee would be established to discuss the possibility of building a pipeline, to deliver Israeli and Cypriot natural gas to Europe via Greece. A joint statement on behalf of Netanyahu, Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said, “The discovery of important hydrocarbon reserves in the Eastern Mediterranean can serve as a catalyst for peace, stability and cooperation in the region.”

Netanyahu also said that practical steps are being taken to build a joint undersea electricity cable to Europe. He commented, “These are momentous goals and by working together we can advance them more effectively than we can separately.”

The three leaders also agreed that their respective security establishments would work together more closely to counter terror and extremism, while plans were also discussed for joint tourism ventures. Other areas of cooperation which were discussed included agriculture, environment protection, health, plus joint search and rescue.

Tsipras emphasised all three leaders agreed that dealing with mass migration across Europe means tackling poverty and war, which is “at its root.” Meanwhile, Anastasiades commented, “Our states share the same values as well as the conviction that in order to effectively counter multiple challenges confronting us on a local, regional and international level, we must work collectively.”

A joint statement also made clear that, “Our partnership is not exclusive… and we are ready to welcome other like-minded actors to join our efforts to promote coordination and cooperation, as well as regional peace and stability.”

Following the meeting, Netanyahu emphasised that “Our cooperation with Greece and Cyprus stands on its own … It does not depend on our efforts to normalise our relations with Turkey,” with discussions reportedly taking place to restore Israel-Turkey diplomatic ties.