CAIRO: Egyptian gas supplies to East Mediterranean Gas and its clients in Israel are expected to resume by March 4, Reuters quoted American Israel Corp (EMPAL) as saying. Ampal, which has a 12.5 percent interest in East Mediterranean Gas, said the Egyptian National Gas Company said repair works on a pipeline, damaged in an explosion and subsequent fire in February, were continuing. The repair work and resumption of gas supplies was previously expected around Feb. 17. Egyptian state television and local government officials had reported saboteurs blew up a pipeline that runs through Egypt's North Sinai, disrupting flows to Israel and Jordan. Israel gets gas from Egypt through a pipeline from el-Arish to Ashkelon to meet 20 percent of its electricity needs. Local media outlets reported on Wednesday that the former Minister of Petroleum, Sameh Fahmy, was summoned by the State Security Prosecutions for questioning, as it received complaints that Fahmy sold gas to Israel and other European countries for low prices, lower than the average international prices, causing Egypt a loss of 3 billion EGP (U.S. $500 million) in state funds over five years. Fahmy said he was carrying out the orders of both the former President Hosni Mubarak and Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif. BM
