Infrastructure Minister Silvan Shalom held meetings, Thursday with the four regulators assigned to natural gas in Israel, Cyprus, Greece and Italy. They discussed regulation and other professional matters associated with cooperation between the four countries. Shalom said that Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta had talked to him about Italy becoming Israel's gas gateway to Europe, and that Cyprus and Greece were interested in buying natural gas from Israel.
Shalom said that in addition to the purchase of gas from Israel, a project to lay an underwater electric cable from Israel to Cyprus would extend to Crete and the rest of Europe, noting that the project has gained momentum. Furthermore, he said that Israel has become a power in water technology, helping Cyprus and other countries with desalination.