Greece, Italy, Egypt, Israel and two other countries will form a permanent organization to promote co-operation over natural gas in the Eastern Mediterranean. Turkey, which has raised tensions by exploring for the fuel in contested waters, is not as yet included. Energy ministers from the group, which also includes Cyprus and Jordan, signed a charter to establish the East Mediterranean Gas Organization, Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum & Mineral Resources said Tuesday. The body will be based in Cairo and focus on “strengthening regional cooperation,” according to a statement. Other Eastern Mediterranean countries can join, the statement said, without giving further detail. Representatives from the U.S. Department of Energy and the European Union signed the agreement as observers. “Today is an historic moment,” Egypt’s oil minister, Tarek el-Molla, said. “Once the […]