US, Three East Mediterranean Countries Agree To Boost Energy Cooperation

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th May, 2022) Cyprus, Greece, Israel and the United States have agreed to intensify cooperation in various areas, including energy, the countries' foreign ministers said on Monday.

Earlier in the day, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Cypriot Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias held a virtual meeting in the 3+1 format.

"In a critical period for Europe, the United States, and the world, the Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the 3+1 format and decided to intensify their cooperation in the areas of energy, economy, climate action, emergency preparedness, and counter-terrorism, contributing to resilience, energy security, and interconnectivity in the region," the ministers said in a joint statement.

The ministers also expressed their support for the Negev Summit and other initiatives that promote peace in the region and also condemned the recent terrorist attacks against Israelis.

"The Ministers decided to develop a roadmap with tangible deliverables for the coming year and to set the stage for a follow-on meeting before the end of 2022," the statement read.

The 3+1 cooperation format was created in 2019 to promote peace and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as to support the participants' energy independence and security.