Cypriot FM praises Egypt’s role in fighting terrorism

CAIRO – 11 April 2018: President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi received Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides on Wednesday to discuss bilateral relations between the two countries.

President Sisi hailed the Cypriot stances in support of Egypt, affirming the special relations between the two countries and the keenness to strengthen mutual cooperation in all fields, presidential spokesman Bassam Radi said.

On behalf of Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, Christodoulides congratulated Sisi on his re-election, Radi said. Christodoulides also praised the current unprecedented level of cooperation between the two nations.

Christodoulides praised Egypt’s role in fighting terrorism and extremism, along with achieving security and stability in the region, Radi said, adding that the meeting discussed ways to strengthen economic, trade and investment ties.

On Tuesday, Christodoulides met with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, where they discussed challenges facing the two nations, within the framework of preserving safety and security in the eastern Mediterranean.

In a press conference at Tahrir Palace, Christodoulides said he and Shoukry discussed ways to fund bilateral agreements and support mutual cooperation in trade, energy and other fields.

Shoukry met earlier with Christodoulides during a conference to support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) that was held in March 2017 in Rome.

On the sidelines of the UNRWA conference, Shoukry stressed Egypt's keenness on developing cooperation with Cyprus in the natural gas domain. During his visit to Cyprus in November, President Sisi discussed the construction of an underwater pipeline to deliver gas to Egypt from Cyprus’s Aphrodite field.