Egypt mulling resumption of gas supplies to Jordan

Resumption of Egyptian gas supplies to Jordan is under intensive study by the authorities in Cairo, the Egyptian side has confirmed, as quoted by a senior official. Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said he has discussed the issue recently during his meetings with Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi on the sidelines of the 67th UN General Assembly session and Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohammad Kamel Amro on the sidelines of the third South American-Arab Countries summit. Judeh told the Jordan News Agency, Petra, that the Egyptian officials confirmed that Cairo is examining resuming the supplies at the stipulated quota. The original supply agreement was inked in 2002, with a quota of 220 million cubic feet per day, but the Egyptian pipeline built to carry natural gas to Jordan has been subject to sabotage by terrorist groups in Sinai 15 times since the start of the uprising that toppled president Hosni Mubarak in early 2011. Judeh said Jordan, as a result, has incurred a loss of $3 billion during the last two years. From JT