Steinitz

Greece is hosting officials from Cyprus, Israel and the United States at a ministerial meeting on energy issues on Wednesday.

Israel's Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz said on Monday his country was hoping to sign a deal for the construction of the 2,000-kilometer EastMed pipeline, which will cross from Israel and Cyprus into Greece and Italy, "in a few weeks' time."

Israel expects a decision to go ahead with the construction of a 2,000 kilometer (1,243 mile) pipeline linking vast eastern Mediterranean gas resources to Europe to be made by early 2019, Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz told Reuters.

Israel has invited bids for 24 new offshore oil-and-gas exploration licenses it hopes will bring more major finds in the Mediterranean as it strives to become an energy exporter. "We are offering for exploration half of our economic waters in 24 blocks," Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz said, announcing the offer which closes on April 21.

An Israeli minister is set to visit Turkey on Oct. 13, the first ministerial level meeting since relations came to a halt in 2010 after Israel's deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla. 

Israeli Minister of National Infrastructure, Energy and Water Resources Yuval Steinitz is expected to visit Turkey on Oct. 13, the Israeli Embassy in Ankara said in a written statement on Oct. 10. 

Israel is pleased at a compromise deal achieved between the United States Congress and the administration of President Barack Obama, Israeli Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz said on April 15.