Rivlin: 'Much safer' Mediterranean with Cyprus teamwork

President Reuven Rivlin said cooperation between Israel and Cyprus on intelligence, security and terror prevention has made the Mediterranean "much, much safer."

Rivlin said after talks Tuesday with his Cypriot counterpart Nicos Anastasiades that Israeli-Cypriot security ties "have never been better" with the two countries' navies and commando units sharing "space, knowledge and experience."

Rivlin said the focus of the neighbors' strategic partnership that includes Greece is developing the East Med gas pipeline that "could be one of the greatest underwater projects in the world."

The envisioned pipeline would carry natural gas from deposits in the east Mediterranean to Europe via Greece and Italy.

Rivlin said energy cooperation in the eastern Mediterranean could also benefit Egypt, Jordan and the Palestinians, adding the Israel-Cyprus-Greece partnership could be expanded.