Regional electric network countries meet to expand grid

The seventh meeting of the electricity and power ministers of the five fold electric network link states Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq and Turkey started in Amman.

The meeting was attended by the Lebanese and Libyan ministers as well as head of the Arab fund development.

Egyptian Electricity Minister Ali Fahmy al-Saedi said that "the attendants are discussing the possibility of developing the work and implementing the project of linking the electric grid as well as studying the demands of some Arab states such as Libya and Lebanon to join this grid."

It is worthy to mention that the electric line between Egypt and Jordan was opened last March and forms the main backbone points of connection in the fivefold project.

The second phase of the project providing for connections between Syria and Iraq, Iraq and Turkey and Syria and Lebanon is expected to be completed by 2001.

Arab sources expected that opening the electric link line between Jordan and Syria would be opened in the coming months.