Yesterday, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak received the Syrian Vice President, Abdel Halim Khaddam, who was visiting Cairo. They engaged in discussions regarding the latest global and regional developments, as well as the Palestinian problem. Following the meeting with Mubarak, Khaddam did not immediately make any statements and proceeded to a meeting with Egyptian Prime Minister Atif Ebeid. However, he clarified that he had conveyed a message from Bashar Al-Assad to Mubarak.
According to a source, the discussions centered around the implementation of a significant natural gas pipeline project, which would connect Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. The talks aimed to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries across various sectors and activate the agreements signed within the framework of the Egyptian-Syrian Joint Supreme Committee.
In mid-March, Syria, Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon jointly decided to adopt a land route for the gas pipeline that would transport gas from Egypt to the three Arab countries and Turkey. This decision was made during a meeting attended by the prime ministers and oil and energy ministers of the four nations in Syria, which took place alongside the inauguration ceremony of the electrical connection between these countries. The Syrian News Agency reported that the decision approved a land route from Al-Arish in Egypt to Aqaba in Jordan, then to Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey.
As a result, the four Arab countries altered their previous plan to construct a marine gas pipeline. Initially, the plan involved transporting approximately 12 million cubic meters of Egyptian gas per day from Al-Arish to Tripoli on the Lebanese coast, and then towards Syria and Jordan, with the potential to extend to other countries, including Turkey and Europe. The estimated cost of the offshore gas line was $800 million, compared to $200 million for an onshore network. The total cost of a marine gas line, including its onshore extensions, was projected to be around $1 billion.
While Syria currently produces enough gas to meet its requirements, its energy needs are rapidly increasing, and it may need to import gas from Egypt in the future.
