Cypriot president, Sisi discuss fostering cooperation

CAIRO – 20 December 2019: Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades on Wednesday expressed keenness to foster relations with Egypt at the bilateral level, as made a phone call with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the Egyptian Presidency said.

Anastasiades also affirmed willingness to boost the trilateral cooperation between Egypt, Greece and Cyprus, and to continue intensive consultation on political issues of mutual concern, a statement published by presidential spokesman Bassam Radi read.

The two leaders coordinated on a number of security and regional issues that are linked to the Middle East.

President Sisi, for his part, affirmed Egypt’s appreciation for the constructive cooperation with Cyprus, and hailed the recent significant development this cooperation has witnessed at the bilateral and trilateral levels along with Greece.

He also stressed keenness to foster bilateral cooperation with Cyprus to meet the interests of the peoples of both countries.

In October, Sisi attended the 7th tripartite cooperation summit between Egypt, Cyprus and Greece, describing it as a real opportunity for exchanging views and coordinating efforts regarding challenges and international issues.

During a press conference, Sisi said that he, Anastasiades, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis discussed the turbulence taking place in the region that represents a threat to the regional neighbors, deprives people of the right to a safe life, and creates new crises.

The trio stressed on the importance of reaching binding legislation to counter terrorist groups, and hinder their recruitment of youth using technological methods. Sisi added, “Terrorism is an international phenomenon that can never be linked to any religion or culture.”

During the summit, the three leaders also tackled the illegal immigration crisis, taking into consideration the demographic changes among the region’s peoples, and the needs of the European labor market, which might be the basis of containing the negative effects of the crisis in a way that will achieve a win-win situation to all parties involved.

Sisi stated in his speech that reaching a political solution in Libya is a must, and the only solution to achieve stability, and that it should come along with a comprehensive addressing of the crisis sources by unifying its institutions and establishing a parliamentary monitoring of the political and economic decisions in Libya.

In November, Egypt, Cyprus and Greece announced that the two security cooperation and maritime MoUs signed by Turkey and Libya’s UN-backed government, “has no legal effect”.

According to Egypt’s spokesman for the Foreign Ministry Ahmed Hafez, Minster Sameh Shoukry called both of his Greek and Cypriot counterparts discussing the newly signed MoUs.

The statement added that the three officials agreed that these MoUs “has no legal effect”, as the signing exceeds the powers of Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj in accordance with the Skhirat Agreement, which was announced in December 2015.