CAIRO: Egypt and Cyprus signed five cooperation deals on Thursday, including an agreement on oil and gas prospection, during Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos visit to Cairo. The accords, which also cover scientific research, electricity and cultural cooperation, were signed during a ceremony attended by Papadopoulos and Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif, the official MENA news agency said. Government spokesman Magdi Radi underlined the importance of such agreements since Cyprus became a launch-pad for the European market by joining the European Union in 2004. Cypriot presidential undersecretary Christodoulos Pashardes had said the deals signed were exceptionally big for Cyprus and the gains we expect to receive from these agreements will benefit the entire Cypriot people. Although the extent of gas and oil reserves beneath the Mediterranean off Cyprus is unknown, in the past Nicosia estimated there could be up to eight billion barrels off the island s shores. According to Egyptian presidential spokesman Suleiman Awwad, the new agreements will boost bilateral trade, which grew 75 percent in 2005 to reach $79 million. Papadopoulos, on the first official visit to Egypt by a Cypriot president since Archbishop Makarios trip in 1966, also held talks Thursday with President Hosni Mubarak and parliament Speaker Fathi Sorur. Egypt and Cyprus broke diplomatic ties in 1978, after Egyptian forces stormed a plane at Larnaca airport that was being held by two Palestinian hostage-takers. Cyprus had not given its green light for the assault and responded by opening fire on the Egyptian forces, killing 15. The crisis started a day earlier with the assassination in Nicosia of Yusef Al-Sebai, a prominent newspaper editor and writer, as well as a close friend of then Egyptian president Anwar Al-Sadat. Diplomatic relations were restored in 1984. AFP
Egypt and Cyprus sign five cooperation deals
