Filenews 14 February 2026 - by Evagoras Prokopiou
The consultations between Cyprus and Israel on the joint natural gas field that extends between the "Aphrodite" and "Isai" sea blocks seem to be entering a path of completion, with both sides expressing cautious optimism that an agreement will be reached by the end of March.
According to an announcement by the Israeli government a few days ago, a delegation of the Israeli Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure is going to Cyprus with the aim of promoting the agreement. Eli Cohen said that natural gas is a strategic asset for Israel, pointing out that the government will continue to develop the fields to boost production and exports.
On the Cypriot side, Michalis Damianos, speaking on state radio, described the achievement of an agreement by the end of March as realistic, noting that there is political will on both sides, as well as pressure from the companies involved. As he mentioned, a technical team from Israel has already been in Cyprus for intensive meetings, while within the next ten days the last pending issues are expected to be closed.
The discussions, according to the minister, do not focus on the sharing rate, but on technical and legal issues, with the percentages determined by an independent expert. He reminded that the extraction of the first natural gas from "Aphrodite" is set in 2030, while the "Kronos" field is expected to yield from 2027-2028, with channelling through Egypt to the European market.
Confirmation from the Israeli Ambassador
Oren Anolik in an interview with the Sunday newspaper "Fileleftheros", among other things, estimated that the signatures may be put by the end of March at the latest, pointing out that progress has been made, albeit at a slower pace. As he mentioned, representatives of the companies also participated in the last round, which contributed to the development of the process.
He clarified that the signing of the agreement does not complete the process, but sets the final framework for the solution, while the appointment of a specialist for the distribution is foreseen. The implementation, as he noted, will take time.
