Egypt and Syria have discussed plans for implementing a multilateral natural gas agreement between Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum Sameh Fahmi met with his visiting Syrian counterpart, Mohammed Maher Gamal, to discuss executive procedures for the pipeline.
The two ministers reviewed the findings of petroleum experts and plans to establish an Egyptian-Syrian-Lebanese company to head the mega-project. Minister
Fahmi stated that the natural gas pipeline project would be a major step towards the creation of an Arab common market.
In general terms, Syrian-Egyptian trade relations have broadened over the years. Egypt's Ambassador to Syria Muhammad Isma'il recently predicted that the level of exchange between the two states would hit $200 million by the end of this year. Isma'il stated that several Egyptian-Syrian projects would be carried out, among them the extension of the natural gas pipeline. According to him, this project represents a huge development in mutual ties between the two states. —
(Mena Report)
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