CAIRO, Sept 19 , 2018(MENA) - Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Tarek el Mulla and Cypriot Minister of Energy and Industry Yiorgos Lakkotrypis signed an agreement on setting up a natural gas maritime pipeline. Under the agreement, the pipeline will carry natural gas from the Cypriot Aphrodite field to Egypt to be liquefied ahead of exporting it to the different world markets, said a statement released by the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum. The agreement, signed in the Cypriot capital Nicosia, will be one of the major elements for enhancing economic relations between the two countries, Mulla said. It will also help encourage more oil explorations in the region, he said, highlighting the important role of Egypt regarding the future of natural gas in the eastern Mediterranean area given its strategic location and its strong infrastructure. The agreement is not only about setting up a pipeline, he said, explaining that it will contribute to guaranteeing the supply of gas to the European Union countries.