Jordan, Egypt, Syria and Lebanon on Sunday signed agreements of the second phase of the Arab Gas Pipeline
Projects, designed to convey natural gas from Egypt to Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
According to Petra news agency, the agreements include a licensed agreement with Al Fajer Company to carry out the second phase, two agreements to sell and purchase gas and an agreement to transport natural gas.
The signing ceremony was patronized by the Prime Ministers of the four countries: Faisal Al Fayez of Jordan, Atef Obeid of Egypt, Mohammad Al Atri of Syria and Rafiq Al Hariri of Lebanon.
In a welcoming statement, Fayez said "this is a significant event in the course of the joint Arab cooperation which reflects the strong resolve of our leaders to develop this cooperation. Implementing this project is the best evidence on fulfilling aspiration of our Arab peoples and on the determination of our leaders to exert every possible effort to further cement ties of inter-Arab cooperation to encounter challenges of the age of globalization," Fayez told his audience.
The second phase of the $1.2 billion project will be built on Jordanian lands from Aqaba in the south to Rehab near the Jordanian Syrian border in the north, at a total cost of $350 million. Other than the four Arab countries, the project will include, at a later stage, Turkey and Cyprus with the aim of exporting natural gas to the remote European market.
© 2004 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
