III 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 271 

Affirming that the United States supports the Eastern Mediterranean Gas 

Forum and the Eastern Mediterranean gas pipeline. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 15, 2021 

Mr. CRUZ (for himself and Mr. BARRASSO) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Affirming that the United States supports the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum and the Eastern Mediterranean 

gas pipeline. 

Whereas, on January 14, 2019, the representatives from Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority convened in Cairo, Egypt to discuss establishing the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum 

(EMGF); 

Whereas, on December 20, 2019, the United States Congress 

passed the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy 

Partnership Act of 2019 (title II of division J of Public 

Law 116–94), which states it is the policy of the United 

States to promote and deepen energy security cooperation 

and development between Greece, Cyprus, and Israel and 

to support the Eastern Mediterranean Pipeline; 


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•SRES 271 IS 

Whereas, on January 2, 2020, Israel, Greece, and Cyprus 

signed an agreement to build an Eastern Mediterranean 

pipeline to connect the Eastern Mediterranean energy 

market to southern Europe; 

Whereas, on January 16, 2020, Egypt hosted a forum with 

representatives of Cyprus, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, 

and the Palestinian Authority to finalize the framework 

for launching the EMGF; 

Whereas, on September 23, 2020, the six member states of 

the EMGF held a signing ceremony that formally transformed the forum into a regional intergovernmental organization based in Cairo, Egypt; 

Whereas, on December 16, 2020, the United Arab Emirates 

joined the EMGF and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah 

al-Sisi said ‘‘the UAE will contribute to the forum’s activities to serve strategic interests and enhance cooperation and partnership between the forum countries’’; 

Whereas, on March 1, 2021, the EMGF Statute entered into 

force; 

Whereas, on March 9, 2021, the EMGF accepted France as 

a member; 

Whereas the United States and the European Union are permanent observers of the EMGF; 

Whereas a vibrant regional gas market will promote prosperity and provide a sustainable path for economic development; 

Whereas the EMGF promotes technical and market collaboration in energy, including by ensuring a competitive 

price for natural gas, the development of new energy 

technologies, and increased cooperation on cyber security; 


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•SRES 271 IS 

Whereas the EMGF and the Eastern Mediterranean Pipeline 

will provide European nations with robust energy alternatives and decrease reliance on the Russian Federation; 

Whereas the United States has been a steadfast supporter of 

the creation of the EMGF as well as the agreement between Israel, Greece, and Cyprus to support the completion of the Eastern Mediterranean pipeline; 

Whereas Dan Brouillette, then-United States Secretary of 

Energy, notes the ‘‘immense benefits that natural gas 

will bring to the region, but to growing markets around 

the world’’; 

Whereas Frank Fannon, then-United States Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources, echoes that ‘‘energy resources are a catalyst for cooperation’’; 

Whereas George Lakkotrypis, then-Minister of Energy, Commerce, Industry and Tourism of the Republic of Cyprus, 

said that ‘‘U.S. support in creating an Eastern Mediterranean corridor is profound and solid’’; 

Whereas Tarek El-Molla, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral 

Resources of the Arab Republic of Egypt, stated, ‘‘The 

EMGF will be acknowledged throughout history as a 

unique and bold endeavor, since it aspires to become an 

exemption to the historic norm of perceiving our current 

and prospective energy wealth as a motivation for conflict’’; 

Whereas Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece, stated that the Eastern Mediterranean Pipeline ‘‘is a pipeline 

for peace and cooperation between the peoples of the region’’; 

Whereas Yuval Steinitz, Minister of Energy of the State of 

Israel, said the EMGF ‘‘brings regional cooperation with 


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•SRES 271 IS 

Arab and European countries, the first of its kind in history’’; 

Whereas Hala Zawati, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, stated, 

‘‘Within the Eastern Mediterranean and utilizing our gas 

resources and infrastructure—cooperating and working 

together, given all the challenges, became a must. We believe that this platform will serve to enhance dialogue between countries to reach a clear regional vision, a vision 

that translates into policies for a sustainable regional gas 

market in the Eastern Mediterranean.’’; and 

Whereas the EMGF is part of a growing network of regional 

agreements and frameworks that provide the basis for 

long-term peace and cooperation on vital issues related to 

diplomatic engagement, collective security, economic 

growth, and energy development, including the Abraham 

Accords, signed on September 15, 2020, by the United 

States, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) celebrates the establishment of the Eastern 

3 Mediterranean Gas Forum and congratulates the 

4 members for their success in building an inter5 national forum to advance Eastern Mediterranean 

6 energy; 

7 (2) commends the members for demonstrating a 

8 commitment to multilateral cooperation leading to 

9 mutual economic and energy security; 


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•SRES 271 IS 

1 (3) recognizes the historical significance of Jew2 ish, Arab, and Christian peoples working together to 

3 advance prosperity and security within the region; 

4 (4) notes the strategic importance of the East5 ern Mediterranean pipeline in enhancing European 

6 energy security and decreasing reliance on Russian 

7 energy exports; and 

8 (5) calls on all states to support the Eastern 

9 Mediterranean Gas Forum and the Eastern Medi10 terranean Pipeline. 

Æ 


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