JERUSALEM, Israel -- President Anastasiades has arrived for the summit on Wednesday morning. The sixth tripartite summit of Greece, Cyprus and Israel is expected to be different than before, precisely because of the participation of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
The summit is scheduled for 7pm. President Anastasiades is also expected to have bilateral meetings with PM Netanyahu and Mike Pompeo.
On the agenda is energy cooperation, an announcement due later today will clarify US participation details. Reportedly the text will be ''of such nature as to include messages to countries in the region''.
Francis Fannon, Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Energy Resources is also in Israel for the summit.
Issues of maritime security such as infrastructure and pipeline security are high on the agenda.
The EastMed pipeline, for which a transnational agreement is expected be signed, will be at the center of the current summit in Jerusalem. The participation of Pombeo is seen as strong support to the EastMed pipeline and a strong signal to Russia and Turkey; supporting the three countries and Egypt for the security of the Southeastern Mediterranean region and consolidation of interests, marked by ExxonMobil's new discoveries in the Cyprus EEZ.
President Anastasiades is joined by Energy Minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis, Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides and government spokesman Prodromos Prodromos.
- ExxonMobil announces major gas discovery in Cyprus
- Cyprus on European energy map following ExxonMobil discovery
- Netanyahu: Development of Eastern Mediterranean pipeline is the prime focus of Israel, Greece and Cyprus
- Israel's Delek considers London IPO for Leviathan and Aphrodite gas stake
- Cyprus announces €500 million tender for LNG terminal
