Eric Watkins
Senior Correspondent
LOS ANGELES, May 3 -- Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said his country and neighboring Cyprus will sign an agreement for joint exploration and production of natural gas in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
He said Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos would this week oversee the signing of an agreement with Egypt on drilling and production in Cypriot territorial waters up to the maritime border with Egypt.
Papadopoulos was to travel to Egypt on May 3 for a 3-day official visit, the first by a Cypriot head of state since 1966.
There is currently no exploration under way in Cyprus, but officials there are encouraged by gas discoveries off Egypt.
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