Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides met senior Chevron executive Javier La Rosa in New York on Monday night to discuss the development of the “Aphrodite” gas field and wider energy plans of the Republic of Cyprus.

Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said the meeting was the President’s first with La Rosa since he became president of Chevron’s BAEC division. He added that the talks focused on timetables for the project, stressing that the government considers strict adherence to schedules a top priority.

According to Letymbiotis, all timetables are being kept so far. Offshore geotechnical and geological surveys for subsea installations and the planned pipeline route to Egypt began in June. The pre-FEED stage of the project is expected to be completed by the end of this year. The spokesman said the president and Chevron agreed to maintain close and regular contact, both directly and through the energy ministry, to ensure progress continues. He underlined that a recent agreement signed with Egypt has created conditions to accelerate the development of the Aphrodite field.

President Christodoulides described Chevron’s presence in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) as a strong vote of confidence in the country’s energy prospects. He also linked the cooperation to broader ties with the United States, calling Washington a strategic partner.

Letymbiotis noted that Chevron’s long-standing activity in Cyprus’ EEZ and its commitment to the exploitation of the Aphrodite field send clear signals of trust. He said the development is important both for Cyprus’ natural resources and for the geopolitical weight of the country’s EEZ.

The Aphrodite gas field was the first discovery of natural gas in Cyprus’ EEZ. Efforts are now centred on bringing the resource into production as quickly as possible, with the government stressing benefits for Cypriot consumers as well as for economic growth.