Brussels, 24/07/2003 (Agence Europe) - A work programme for energy co-operation between Israel and the Palestine authority was established on Wednesday in Brussels during a meeting with the Minister of Infrastructure of Israel Mr Joseph I. Paritzky and the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of the Palestinian Authority Mr Azzam Shawwa, the Italian Presidency of the European Union represented by Antonio Marzano and Commissioner for Energy Loyola De Palacio. This programme, which contains a more precise calendar of actual proejcts (in the fields of electricity, gas and renewable energies), will be presented during the Euro-Mediterranean ministerial meeting on 1-2 December in Rome.
In the Electricity sector, participants agreed that they would restart negotiations composed of a joint negotiating committee comprised of representatives from Israel and the Palestinian Authority and negotiate on: 1) Commercial agreement for the supply of electricity; 2) Interconnection agreement for the exchange of electricity; 3) A master plan, initially bi-lateral and then regional in the context of the Euro-Mediterranean electricity ring. The next meeting will possibly take place in Ramallah on 10-15 August 2003. In the Gas sector a joint group of experts will examine market scenarios and relevant interconnections for development and co-operation, in the context of the Euro-Mediterranean gas ring. The next meeting will take place in Tel Aviv or another mutually agreed location during the week of 7-11 September In the Energy Demand Management and Renewables sector a joint group of experts will examine joint projects of common interest, joint training programmes, including between research centres and universities; joint technological projects with EU countries. The first meeting will take possibly take place in Tel Aviv on 7-11 September. Several recommendations have been made to implement the programme: over the medium term, the development of an energy infrastructure development programme in which international financial institutions (such as the EIB) and the private financial sector; a joint technical Israel-Palestinian Authority body to support the energy co-operation; finalisation of the electricity agreements before the end of October 2003; gas, electricity and renewable projects of common interest should be identified in time for a joint presentation during an industrial conference to be held in Brussels in November, with the participation of neighbouring countries such as Egypt, Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.