Washington ‘wholly supports’ plans for Mediterranean gas pipeline – US ambassador

The US ambassador to Israel has said Washington “wholly supports” plans for a pipeline that would transport east Mediterranean gas to Europe. David Friedman spoke on Thursday in southern Israel at a joint summit between the leaders of Israel, Greece and Cyprus, AP reported. He said the pipeline project was “of great importance for the stability and prosperity of the Middle East and Europe” and urged all countries in the region to ensure its success. The three countries are among the partners in the $7 billion project, which is expected to take six to seven years to build. Israel and Cyprus hope that exporting their offshore reserves will transform their economies and diversify Europe’s energy supply.