President Christodoulides in Israel for two-day visit (Update 2)

President Nikos Christodoulides on Thursday morning arrived in Israel for a two-day working visit it was officially announced.

The president had a private meeting with his Israeli counterpart Isaac Herzog at the presidential palace, followed by extended talks between the delegations of the two countries will follow.

Among the issues discussed during the meeting were the Cyprus problem, regional developments, bilateral relations and energy.

Welcoming Christodoulides at the start of the extended talks, Herzog said that Cyprus is his favourite country.

He then thanked the president for visiting Israel despite the recent unrest affecting the country.

On Wednesday, militants fired 507 rockets and mortars at Israel and the Israel struck 158 Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) targets in Gaza.

“This means a lot to us,” Herzog said.

He added that the visit is an indication of friendship and solidarity, of excellent relations, closeness, and alliance between our countries.

Herzog then congratulated Christodoulides on his success in the presidential elections, adding that, thanks to him, Cyprus will further develop, as will the bilateral relations between the island and Israel.

On his part, Christodoulides condemned the “recent terrorist attacks”, before expressing his support to Israel.

“Cyprus stands by you, and we will continue our efforts to end these unacceptable attacks,” he said.

Moreover, he said that this is his first visit to Israel shortly after assuming office, calling it an indication of the importance he attaches to Cyprus’ bilateral relations with Israel.

“The two countries are reliable partners in the region and we have many areas of cooperation with Israel, such as energy, research and technology, and the economy,” he said.

Christodoulides then had a private meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where they further discussed the topics covered with Herzog.

The two also vowed to strengthen their ongoing cooperation in the fields of defence, technology, and policymaking in the region.

Netanyahu expressed his intention to visit the island on the occasion of the trilateral summit involving Cyprus, Israel and Greece that will be held in Nicosia.

‘’I welcome that. We built together an alliance, Eastern Mediterranean alliance, Democracies, Israel. Cyprus. Greece,” Netanyahu said.

“We put our American friends in the loop as well. And I think it’s a very stable and very promising alliance. We should continue to build it, economically, in terms of the intelligence services, defence and political partnership.”

Speaking after the Israeli PM, Christodoulides highlighted the warm welcome he enjoyed in the country.

“I am here to see how we can strengthen our already excellent bilateral relations, but also to discuss regional developments and how we can work together, two reliable and dependable democracies in the Eastern Mediterranean region and, more broadly, in the Middle East, in order to create a stable future,” said the President.

During the meeting, Christodoulides also raised the issue of Israeli tourist transiting to the occupied areas and even investing in properties belonging to Greek Cypriot companies or individuals in the north.

According to diplomatic sources, there was a positive response from Netanyahu regarding the containment of these actions.

The same sources said that cooperation in the energy sector was also at the centre of discussions.

Specifically, issues were discussed regarding cooperation in the region for the exploitation of natural gas jointly with Cyprus, as well as the establishment of suitable infrastructure in the island for natural gas.

Additionally, the pending matter between Cyprus and Israel regarding the “Aphrodite” gas field in the Cypriot Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the neighbouring “Leviathan” field, which is subject to claims by Israel, was also discussed. It was agreed that the resolution of these issues is urgent.

Finally, the two leaders attempted to lay out plans on how Cyprus can actively engage in the Negev Forum, in which Israel, several Arab states, and the United States participate.

According to sources inside the meeting, Christodoulides and Netanyahu agreed that the role that Cyprus can play in the forum’s new dynamics and the changes in the Middle East and Gulf region, particularly in the normalisation of Israel’s relations with Arab states, which is a priority of the country’s foreign policy.

Later on Thursday, Christodoulides will sit down to a dinner hosted in his honour by the Speaker of the Knesset, Amir Ohana.

He will also meet the Patriarch of Jerusalem.

The president is accompanied on his visit by the ministers of energy and foreign affairs, the government spokesman and other officials.