Cyprus is one of the most enthusiastic supporters of the new enhanced strategic partnership between the EU and Egypt, says the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulidis, in an interview with Al-Ahram newspaper, on the occasion of the signing of the Strategic Partnership Agreement between Egypt and the EU at the weekend in Cairo.
President Christodoulidis spoke of excellent relations between Cyprus and Egypt saying that the two countries are also strategic partners with a close relationship of cooperation and common goals, trying to ensure security and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean, based on the principles of international law and sovereignty equality.
He said that new agreements and prospects for new joint projects are always under discussion and that one of the areas in which we seek to strengthen cooperation is that of human resources, where Egypt has a lot to offer. He also said that several other agreements, both bilateral and trilateral, are under discussion with a view to being concluded at the next bilateral Cyprus-Egypt Summit and the next trilateral summit.
President Christodoulidis also referred to the Eastern Mediterranean Natural Gas Forum (EMGF), established as a result of an Egyptian initiative, which he characterized as a valuable tool for regional energy cooperation between states that want to cooperate on equal terms, based on mutual respect and observance of international law.
He recalled that Cyprus and Egypt signed an agreement in 2019 to build an undersea pipeline to transport natural gas from Cyprus to Egypt, using the latter's existing infrastructure for liquefaction and re-export. This option, he stressed, remains the priority as the preferred course of action, both politically and commercially.
The PtD also referred to the tripartite cooperation between Cyprus, Egypt and Greece which reflects, as he said, a strategic alliance in the service of the common priority for peace and stability in the region.
According to the President, Cyprus considers Egypt to be indispensable, both as a bilateral partner, but also in our region, as well as in the wider Middle East and Africa.
"We firmly believe that Egypt is a foundation of stability in an unstable part of the world and that the security of Cyprus and Egypt are inextricably linked," said the President of the Republic of Cyprus.
He stressed that Cyprus seeks to bring Europe closer to Egypt and Egypt closer to Europe, adding that no power today doubts the systemic strategic importance of Egypt as a security pillar and international partner.
In his interview, PtD also referred to the measures taken by Cyprus regarding the migration crisis and emphasized that the efforts are also focused on the re-evaluation by the EU collectively of the state of affairs in Syria, or at least of specific areas of the country, based on the existing reality and the evaluation of the European Asylum Service.
He also said that in close cooperation with the European Commission, Cyprus aims to strengthen Europol's presence in the Eastern Mediterranean to better combat migrant smuggling.
We firmly believe, he stressed, that cooperation between Europol, the Cyprus Police and the Lebanese Authorities is necessary at this point, especially considering the geopolitical developments.
Source: KYPE