NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) – Greece's prime minister said Monday that Greece is working with Israel to develop artificial intelligence technology to help detect dangerous wildfires early.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis said after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Cypriot President Nicos Christodoulides in the Cyprus capital Nicosia that Israel is the most important country when it comes to civil protection efforts to better coordinate firefighting efforts. He also said that there is a possibility of incorporating it within the framework of the European Union.
Israel and Cyprus are among several countries that have sent firefighting aircraft and personnel to help. Fighting wildfires in Greece Vast swaths of forest have been burnt in the past two months, including the EU's biggest fires on record, which claimed 20 lives.
Mitsotakis said Greece could serve as a testing ground for Israeli AI technology in the early detection of wildfires.
“We are already talking with Israel about AI-based solutions that provide early detection capabilities,” Mitsotakis said.
Prime Minister Netanyahu said the three leaders discussed how the introduction of AI systems for early detection “goes far beyond” the dispatch of fire planes and fire brigade personnel.
“This is exactly one of the areas where when we say we're going to do better together, there's no doubt that's what we're saying,” Netanyahu said.
The three leaders said they had considered in detail how to utilize the recently discovered natural gas in the waters of Israel and Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea. Prime Minister Netanyahu said Israel and Cyprus need to decide within the next three to six months how to export natural gas to foreign markets.
Israel and Cyprus are considering the following pipeline plans: Transport offshore natural gas It will be transported from both countries to island nations in the Eastern Mediterranean, where it will be liquefied and exported by ship.
Christodoulides said: “Given recent geopolitical developments and energy insecurity, especially in Europe, we agree that natural gas and renewable energy are key pillars of regional cooperation, and that energy diversification and mutual There is a need for improved connectivity.”
Another project in which three leaders expressed strong interest was submarine power cable It spans 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles) and connects the electricity grids of Israel, Cyprus, and mainland Greece.
“This is something that we are keenly interested in pursuing, and we … discussed (including) the mechanisms of how to move forward with this,” Netanyahu said.
Mitsotakis said energy has been the focus of a series of ongoing talks between the three leaders since 2016 to deepen ties between the two countries, and Mitsotakis said this is a key issue for both countries at political, economic and other levels. He said that it reflects the importance of
