Egypt, Greece, Cyprus leaders reaffirm commitment to regional peace, energy cooperation

CAIRO – 9 January 2025: Leaders of Egypt, Cyprus and Greece have reaffirmed their firm commitment to regional peace and stability as well as economic cooperation and energy security as the met in Caito for their tenth trilateral summit on Wednesday.

In a joint statement, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and President Nikos Christodoulides of Cyprus said they seek to enhance collaboration in promoting security, economic prosperity, and sustainable development for their peoples and for the broader Mediterranean and Middle Eastern regions.

They added that the summit reflected the three countries’ unwavering dedication to mutual solidarity in the face of regional and global challenges.

They highlighted the principles of trust, respect and cooperation, which constitute the basic of their strategic partnership.

“We affirm our collective commitment to the promotion of peace and stability in the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and North Africa, while expecting from all actors to contribute to stability and to refrain from provocative actions,” the leaders stated.

 

TACKLING GAZA CRISIS

The summit conferred about challenges in the Middle East, including the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as well as the situation in Syria, Libya, Sudan and Yemen.

Regarding Gaza, the three leaders reaffirmed their call for the implementation of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, including an immediate, full, and complete ceasefire with the release of captives, detainees and prisoners.

They underlined the necessity for the safe and effective distribution of humanitarian assistance at scale throughout the Gaza Strip to all Palestinian civilians.

The leaders called upon the international community and key stakeholders to address the root causes of instability in the Middle East through upholding their commitment to the two-state solution.

They urged the establishment of the Palestinian State on the 4th of June 1967 lines, affirming the vision of two States, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side within secure and recognised borders pursuant to the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.

“The President of Cyprus and the Prime Minister of Greece commend Egypt’s continuous and relentless efforts to navigate this crisis, and express their support for these efforts,” the statement read.

SYRIA COMPREHENSIVE PROCESS

Egypt, Cyprus and Greece stress that this delicate phase in Syria’s history requires consolidated efforts by its people in order to launch a comprehensive political process under Syrian national ownership, without foreign interference.

This process needs to include all Syrian national parties and be consistent with UN Security Council resolution 2254, the leaders said.

They expressed their grave concerns about the systemic violation of Syria’s sovereignty, stressing the need to respect Syria’s unity, independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within secure borders, in accordance with international law.

The leaders underscored the importance of the protection of members of religious and ethnic minorities, and to safeguard Syria’s cultural heritage.

LIBYA ELECTIONS

Egypt, Greece and Cyprus welcome the commitments of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission towards reunification of the Libya military and security institutions.

The leaders underlined the need for progress on the political and security tracks, including the full withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries.

They reaffirmed the necessity of having a new unified national government and holding the presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously, within a framework of a Libyan -owned and led- inclusive political process.

 

ENDING SUDAN CRISIS

Cyprus and Greece underscore the Egyptian significant role to end the crisis in Sudan, the statement read.

The three leaders asserted their joint vision towards ending this conflict, through achieving a nationwide, permanent and immediate ceasefire, followed by resuming a Sudanese -owned and led- transitional process.

They stressed the need for ensuring unhindered humanitarian access, and delivery of life-saving aid to all Sudanese people, while respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sudan, and preserving state institutions.

“We commend regional and international cooperation to address the complex challenges facing Sudan and the wider region, in order to avoid a spillover of security threats to the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa, as well as to prevent illegal migration to Europe.”

“Therefore, we call upon the international community to support Sudan and its relevant stakeholders in the endeavors to ensure humanitarian access, provide humanitarian assistance, and to fulfil their pledges, as declared in the Geneva and Paris donor conferences.”

SETTLING CYPRUS QUESTION

Recognizing that a comprehensive and viable settlement of the Cyprus Question will contribute to peace and stability in our region, the leaders reiterate their support for the resumption of a Cypriot-owned and led- peace process.

This process aims to reunify Cyprus as a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with a single sovereignty, a single international personality and a single citizenship, in line with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.

“We welcome the efforts of the UN Secretary-General to resume the negotiating process, including his initiative to invite the leaders to New York on 15 October 2024, and look forward to the implementation of the agreed steps.”

TRILATERAL COLLABORATION

The leaders underlined their commitment to strengthening trade and investment between their countries, and exploring collaboration opportunities in fields such as technology, infrastructure, and sustainable development.

“Emphasis will be placed on connecting the business communities of the three countries, particularly through Business-to-Business (B2B) and economic fora, and on fostering partnerships between chambers of commerce, joint business associations and councils.”

They expressed their dedication to enhancing their trilateral cooperation in natural gas, including exploration and development processes.

Moreover, they agree to enhance cooperation on water security and management, cultural relations, healthcare, tourism, archaeology and museology, and youth and sports.

 

The leaders agreed to enhance their commitment to combating terrorism, extremism, and organized crime.

“To crackdown on the human trafficking networks, we will continue to cooperate in intelligence sharing, border security, and counter-terrorism initiatives to safeguard our peoples and preserve the stability of our region.”

Meanwhile they reaffirm the importance of ensuring the security and stability of the maritime domain in the Eastern Mediterranean and the wider region.

“We reiterate the importance of respecting sovereignty and sovereign rights of all states in their maritime zones, and re-emphasize that any Agreements or Memoranda of Understanding on delimitation of the maritime jurisdiction should be concluded in accordance with the international law, including UNCLOS, as well as the jointly agreed principles in our Trilateral context, and not to infringe upon the sovereign rights of third states in the region.”