EastMed pipeline deal to be signed in Athens

Greece, Cyprus and Israel were set Thursday to sign an agreement for a huge pipeline project designed to ship gas from the eastern Mediterranean to Europe.

The move comes amid tensions with Turkey over its own activities in the area and a contentious maritime deal with Libya expanding Ankara's claims over a large gas-rich area of the sea.

The 2,000-kilometre (1,200-mile) EastMed pipeline will be able to transfer between nine and 12 billion cubic metres a year from offshore gas reserves between Israel and Cyprus to Greece, and then on to Italy and other southeastern European countries.

The discovery of hydrocarbon reserves in the eastern Mediterranean has sparked a scramble for the energy riches and a row between Cyprus and Turkey, which occupies the north of the Mediterranean island.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades were to sign the deal at 1630 GMT.

Turkey already faces European Union sanctions over ships searching for oil and gas off Cyprus, whose government in Nicosia is not recognised by Ankara.

The EastMed project is expected to make Cyprus, Greece and Israel key links in Europe's energy supply chain.

It aims to stymie Turkey's effort to extend its control to the eastern Mediterranean.

Greece responded angrily to the Turkey-Libya deal struck in November, expelling the Libyan ambassador and urging the UN to condemn it.

Part of the agreement sets a maritime boundary between the two countries, which