NICOSIA / ANKARA (Hurriyet Daily News)—Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited CyprusThursday to discuss energy cooperation, right after Cypriots launched a second licensing round for offshore exploratory drilling that received Turkey’s condemnation.
Netanyahu’s visit is the first by an Israeli prime minister to the eastern Mediterranean island. The blossoming of relations between Israel and Cyprus is prompted by a mutual interest in gas and oil exploration and comes as their respective ties with Turkey deteriorate.
Netanyahu’s office said the one-day visit “was designed to strengthen the improving ties between the two nations.” The two sides will discuss cooperation in energy matters, agriculture, health and maritime research and sign a disaster relief and a search and rescue agreement, the office said.
“It’s a natural relationship for us,” Netanyahu said at the start of his meeting with Cypriot President Demetris Christofias. Greek Cypriot government Spokesman Stefanos Stefanou told the Associated Press beforehand the visit “illustrates the great dynamic driving forward the improvement in relations between the two countries.”
After receiving Netanyahu, Christofias and the Israeli prime minister held a tête-à-tête meeting.
The two leaders were due to sign an agreement on assistance in the event of natural disasters and regarding search-and-rescue cooperation by air and naval forces. Cypriot newspapers said Netanyahu would have requests from Christofias such as Cypriot permission to use the “Andreas Papandreou” airbase in Paphos, the transfer of natural gas to Cyprus through a pipeline, contribution to an energy terminal that would be built in Cyprus, protection of those pipelines and facilities and acceptance of responsibility for the search and rescue in the region.
this is good, now lets have this for armenia and israel
Israel should be careful, Turkey is a regional sperpower and can cost Israel dearly in case of going beyond the point of simple anger.
Yellow Stain turkey,is no threat,they only intimidate countries 1/20 its size.Israel is small but well protected,armed,able to take care of itself.Yellow stain turkey will only attack UNARMED women,children,old people. Armenian Genocide.In WW1 they were on the Axis side Germany/Austria.They were soundly beaten on two fronts,of equal forces.They cowered,on their knees,then joined the Allies.So,henceforth they were known as OLD YELLOW STAIN. Read your history.
Good. I hope the Turks get good and angry and do something stupid.