New Prospects in Relations between Cyprus, Greece and Palestine
The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus, Greece, and Palestine, Mr. Ioannis Kasoulides, Mr. Nikos Kotzias and Dr. Riad Malki, attended a trilateral meeting on September 21 in New York. The meeting was part of the High Level segment of the 71st session of the UN General Assembly. According to the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the ministers discussed current events in the Middle East, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, possible Cypriot unification throughout the island, and potential opportunities for trilateral cooperation. The leaders recognized their shared respect for international law, and their willingness to reach acceptable solutions “for the promotion of peace and stability in the eastern Mediterranean region.”
The foreign ministers emphasized the need to address regional challenges, tackle “terrorism, extremism and incitement to violence,” share information more efficiently, and promote regional security, stability and prosperity.
Kasoulides of Cyprus told Cyprus Mail that the meeting “brought together three countries that hold the same values as regards the efforts to address terrorism and asymmetrical threats,” while also stressing the importance of the fields of tourism, the economy, and the environment. Greek Minister Kotzias said the “initiative goes beyond traditional bilateral fora, with positive results for each participating country,” while also expressing his Palestinian counterpart’s satisfaction.
As Cyprus Mail reports, when Kotzias of Greece was asked about possible reactions of other nations, he stressed the point that no other nation should interfere, either in Palestine or the Cyprus issue. However, he explicitly stated that the meeting “was not directed against any other country.”
A separate meeting concerning the region’s geostrategic function, security structures, and further cooperation, will take place in January. Ongoing cooperation between the three nations has the potential to positively affect developments in the region.