Posted on 05/05/2013 4:24:18 PM PDT by haffast
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet on Sunday morning with new Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, who said before the visit that strengthening ties with Israel is one of his government’s most important initiatives.
Netanyahu will meet Anastasiades shortly before leaving for a five-day trip to China.
The Cyprus Mail quoted Anastasiades as saying the aim of the visit was to begin a “to-the-point dialogue that can lead to collaboration between the two countries that will benefit both peoples in many areas, among them of course the exploitation of natural resources.”
Anastasiades arrived on Thursday evening for a twoday private visit to attend Orthodox Easter ceremonies, before beginning the official part of his visit on Sunday.
According to the Cyprus Mail, Anastasiades has said in the past that his financially strapped country was pinning its economic recovery on its natural gas. Cooperation with Israel in this field, therefore, is extremely important.
The visit comes amid speculation of whether the possibility of improved Israeli- Turkish ties as a result of Netanyahu’s recent apology over the Mavi Marmara incident might put a brake on Cypriot-Israeli ties. Those ties, as well as Israel’s relations with Greece, blossomed as Turkish-Israeli ties withered over the last three years.
snip
(Excerpt) Read more at jpost.com ...
...Sounds like an economically motivated and reasonable basis for forming a relationship....
Yep.
Cyprus to build gas plant with or without Israel
Associated Press ^ | 4-3-2013 | AP
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3005364/posts
Turkey Floats Gas Pipeline Plan With Israel
Dorian Jones - Voice of America - April 15, 2013
The announcement follows Israel’s apology to Turkey over the 2010 killing of nine Turks aboard an aid ship trying to break an Israeli economic embargo of the Gaza Strip.
But analyst Ozel says even if compensation is paid, the stalled Mideast peace process hangs as a detriment to bettering Turkish-Israeli relations.
http://www.voanews.com/content/turkey-floats-gas-pipeline-plan-with-israel/1641830.html
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