Cyprus and France’s “excellent levels of relations” were reaffirmed on Wednesday, as both sides explored opportunities for further expansion of cooperation.

Chairman of the House committee on foreign affairs, Harris Georgiades, met with the French Ambassador to Cyprus, Clelia Chevrier-Kolacko, to discuss the anticipated upgrade of the two countries’ strategic agreement.

Earlier in March, a key outcome of a summit held in Paris attended by President Nikos Christodoulides, had been the agreement to push for a strategy to bolster ties between Cyprus, France, and Lebanon.

At that summit, Christodoulides, alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, agreed on a new approach aimed at bolstering Lebanon’s position on the international stage, particularly through enhanced EU support.

Christodoulides also raised broader regional developments, including energy issues, with a focus on the role of French company Total in the Eastern Mediterranean. These discussions were described as vital for advancing mutual interests, especially given the challenges of regional instability, according to the president.

A parliamentary press release stated that during the recent meeting between Georgiades and Chevrier-Kolacko, cooperation in areas such as defence and security was highlighted.

They also discussed enhancing inter-parliamentary dialogue at both the bilateral and European levels, particularly during Cyprus’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2026.

The two officials exchanged views on regional and international issues and emphasised the need for a more active European Union role in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean, the press release concluded.