Doron Peskin, pubblicato da Ynet News il 20.03.09

E’ in corso una battaglia legale contro l'esportazione di gas naturale dall’ Egitto a Israele. Una commissione di esperti, nominata dal tribunale egiziano che discute una petizione contro la tratta di gas, ha presentato una raccomandazione volta ad annullare la decisione del governo per l'esportazione di gas naturale ai vari paesi, tra cui Israele, ad un prezzo ridotto.ll governo egiziano aveva precedentemente ignorato la decisione di fermare le esportazioni. Secondo il rapporto presentato dagli esperti, la decisione del governo egiziano di proseguire l'esportazione di gas č stata la causa della perdita delle entrate. La Corte suprema amministrativa ha deciso di tenere un dibattito sulla questione nel mese di ottobre. 

Articolo originale:

Egypt: Experts urge annulling gas deal

Doron Peskin, published 20.03.09

After Administrative Court rules Egyptian gas exports to Israel will continue, special committee says deal causing country to lose revenues. Court to re-discuss issue in October

The legal battle against the export of natural gas from Egypt to Israel is getting entangled: A committee of experts, appointed by an Egyptian court discussing a petition against the gas deal, submitted a recommendation Sunday to annul a government decision to export natural gas to various countries, including Israel, for a reduced price, the Cairo-based al-Masry al-Youm newspaper reported Monday.

 Last month, Cairo's Supreme Administrative Court ruled that the export of natural gas from Egypt to Israel could continue, accepting an appeal filed by the Egyptian government and annulling a pervious ruling of an inferior court which stated that the gas supply should be stopped.

In any event, the Egyptian government had ignored the ruling to halt the exports.

Nonetheless, the public row over the exports to Israel did not abate and even grew stronger during the Israeli offensive in Gaza. At the end of last month, Egyptian and Israeli media reported that the two countries had signed an agreement updating the gas prices upwardly, but that it had not been formally approved yet.

According to the report submitted by the experts, the government decision to continue exporting gas for reduced prices was causing the country to lose revenues 'and does not serve the public's interest'.

The experts added that the gas prices change all the time, and that therefore the government's decision to export in a reduced price was unreasonable.

Following the experts' report, the Supreme Administrative Court decided to hold another discussion on the matter in October. The court said that such a long time was needed "in order for both sides to study the experts' report."

In 2005, Israel and Egypt signed an agreement stating that Cairo would supply Jerusalem with 1.7 billion cubic meters (2.2 billion cubic yards) of gas per year for 20 years. The supply began last year.