CAIRO: Negotiations about forming prices of Egyptian gas export to Israel did not stop after the last explosion of the gas pipeline, according to the head of Holding Company for Natural Gas, Hassan Mahdy. Mahdy said negotiations will take time to reach a settlement satisfying both sides. He also said the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Company is also negotiating with Israeli about forming prices of Egyptian gas supply to Israeli. It is important to note, the last explosion was the sixth one the gas pipeline suffered in Arish. Israel is getting frustrated at the constant suspension of gas flow from Egypt to Israel. Mahdi added the Egyptian government is committed to reform price of gas to match international levels. Gasco Company operates Arab gas pipeline that transfers gas to Israel. The Gasco technical team failed to fix gas station after the latest explosion. Mahdi said Gasco both filed lawsuit; the companies are negotiating with Sinai governorate to deal with the consequences and compensate them. Egypt's Minister of Agriculture is dealing with farmers whose farms were damaged or burned and also give them compensate. Residents of Mazraa and Taweel, south of Arish, prevented the Gasco technical team to fix the gas sub-station, which recently exploded. They asked the company to compensate them first because their farms, houses and animals were greatly damaged after the explosion. The governorate compensation was only 1,000 EGP (U.S. $167.9) to each individual.
