Egypt – Cyprus relations defined by shared principles, Christodoulides says (Updated)

President Nikos Christodoulides on Wednesday said his two-day visit to Egypt has both a symbolic and substantial meaning, as it reflects a clear political will to build on the strategic partnership between Egypt and Cyprus.

He was speaking after a meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, at the presidential palace in Cairo.

The two had a private meeting before sitting down for extended talks with the delegations of the two countries.

Earlier, Christodoulides was welcomed to the presidential palace with a military salute, and the national anthems of the two countries were played.

“I would like to express my warmest thanks to President Sisi for the generosity and fraternity that defines the hospitality he has shown me and our delegation, more so in the holy month of Ramadan,” he said after the meeting.

“It is with the greatest honour, duty, and clear political will for the further strengthening of our historically excellent bonds, that I am visiting Cairo today, for the first time as the President of the Republic of Cyprus,” he added.

“Egypt is my second stop after Greece, which is both symbolically and tangibly important, as it reflects our clear political will to build on our cooperation, what we consider a strategic partnership between Egypt and Cyprus”.

Both parties will work to strengthen this relationship, he added, for the benefit of both countries and the entire region.

Christodoulides said this relationship is successful because it is based on the most basic principles of mutual respect and honesty that govern conversations between the two countries.

“It serves the interests of both countries equally and is governed by a common vision, a vision we share for a stable, peaceful and prosperous region in the Eastern Mediterranean, but also in the wider Middle East,” he said.

The president said he and his Egyptian counterpart discussed a wide range of issues concerning both bilateral relations and regional issues, including ways to deepen bilateral relations in the fields of trade, economy and tourism, as well as energy.

Of the multitude of areas discussed, Christodoulides highlighted energy cooperation, saying it was initially responsible for strengthening ties and cooperation between the two countries, both bilaterally and regionally.

“It is an integral part of our strategic relationship and at the regional level it stands out,” he said. “Ten years ago it was something that no one could have imagined, that we would have such a development in our region,” he added.

Calling the establishment of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum a “landmark development, made possible under the leadership of President Sisi and of Egypt,” he said Cyprus will continue to work for further integration and cooperation with the organisation.

He said the two agreed that the next meeting between the two governments will be held in Cyprus in September, adding that they both look forward to holding another trilateral meeting with Greece.

Taking into account developments both in the region and internationally, the convergence of approaches between Egypt and Cyprus in dealing with all these issues should always be based on respect for international law and the principles and values of the Charter of the United Nations, Christodoulides added.

“Our common adherence to principles such as the peaceful settlement of disputes and good neighborly relations and the compliance of both countries with the rules of customary law, ensure and demonstrate that our cooperation, our common approach, is neither ephemeral nor opportunistic,” he stressed.

The two presidents also spoke about the latest developments in the Cyprus issue, with Christodoulides expressing gratitude for Egypt’s long-standing stance, which “demonstrates particular sensitivity to the issues of sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity not only of Cyprus, but of all countries in general”.

Speaking through an interpreter, Sisi said that the two countries enjoy relations of strategic importance and cooperation, while he referred to the substantial strengthening of bilateral relations under the government of Nicos Anastasiades.

He added that today energy issues and transportation of Cypriot natural gas to its liquefaction units in Egypt were discussed, as well as the issue of electrical interconnection, as well as green energy.

He also said that Egypt looks forward to cooperation with Cyprus in development and production sectors.

Sisi emphasised the need for countries to respect the absolute sovereignty and territorial integrity of other countries within the framework of international law, pledging Egypt’s support for Cyprus when it comes to finding a solution to the Cyprus issue based on international law.

On the sidelines of the meeting between President Christodoulidis and President Sisi, Foreign Minister Konstantinos Kombos and the Energy Minister Giorgos Papanastasiou had separate meetings with their counterparts.

During the talks, the will of the two countries was expressed to jointly support the inclusion of the electrical interconnection project of the two countries, in the list of projects of mutual interest of the EU. It was also agreed to establish a Business Council with the aim of strengthening relations between the business world of the two countries.