Greece-Cyprus Summit gets underway at the Presidential Palace

The second Greece-Cyprus Intergovernmental Summit is underway at the Presidential Palace, followed by a Trilateral Summit of Cyprus, Greece, and Jordan.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis arrived at the Presidential Palace, where he was welcomed by President Nikos Christodoulides. The President and the Prime Minister held a one-on-one meeting as part of the Greece-Cyprus Intergovernmental Summit. Earlier, parallel bilateral meetings took place between ministers of both governments participating in the summit.

During their private meeting, President Christodoulides welcomed the Prime Minister, stating, “It is always a great pleasure to welcome you to Cyprus, and I must call today historic. Historic because you are here with 14 ministers and deputy ministers from your government. This marks the first time we’ve had such representation from Greece, following our shared decision to institutionalise our cooperation. We’ve had intergovernmental summits with other countries but not between ourselves. Hence, in 2023, we decided to address this significant gap. The most important thing is that this summit has yielded results, particularly on issues impacting citizens’ daily lives.”

The President also noted that Cyprus has benefited from Greece’s expertise in areas like digital transformation. “For instance, in shipping, we can contribute. Additionally, there are shared objectives, such as addressing the prices of medicines and essential goods through joint purchasing initiatives.”

He added that discussions would also cover the latest developments in the Cyprus issue, following the New York meeting, as well as regional developments. “We will soon welcome the King of Jordan. You also had an important meeting yesterday with the new NATO Secretary-General. We have much to discuss, and communication is ongoing.”

Prime Minister Mitsotakis thanked the President for the welcome, highlighting the summit’s unique character. “This meeting is indeed different from the many we have had, both here and in Athens, as it falls under the framework of the second intergovernmental meeting between our governments. It holds particular significance as, although we’ve held such meetings with other countries, we had not done so between ourselves. The second summit takes place in Nicosia after Athens, and it has already delivered measurable results, reflecting the excellent collaboration between our governments.”

He expressed eagerness to continue this fruitful cooperation in areas such as digital applications, healthcare, education, shipping, and energy. “Both our governments are driven by a reformist agenda aimed at improving citizens’ lives and delivering more effective public policies. These meetings are always valuable, as we learn from what other countries do well.”

The Prime Minister praised Cyprus for its strong economic performance and noted the need to discuss major national issues amidst a turbulent geopolitical climate. He also highlighted the upcoming trilateral meeting with the King of Jordan. He expressed satisfaction with the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, emphasizing its significance as a first step toward resolving the crisis.

He concluded by stating that Greece and Cyprus are always pillars of stability in the region, a fact recognized by both regional partners and allies in NATO and the EU.

The Summit’s Focus

The second Intergovernmental Summit between Cyprus and Greece, led by President Christodoulides and Prime Minister Mitsotakis, involves numerous ministers and deputy ministers. Cypriot and Greek officials are holding bilateral meetings, followed by a plenary session between the two delegations.

Key topics include the Cyprus issue, digital transition, collaboration in labor and social policy, education, health, shipping, culture, and defense.

Trilateral Summit with Jordan

Later in the day, President Christodoulides will welcome King Abdullah II of Jordan to the Presidential Palace, joining Prime Minister Mitsotakis for the fourth Trilateral Summit among the three nations. They will review progress in their trilateral cooperation and set new goals in areas of mutual interest.

Discussions will cover regional developments, the Cyprus issue, EU-Jordan relations, migration, humanitarian aid for Gaza, and energy issues.

Memoranda of Understanding in education, water management, and investment are expected to be signed during the Trilateral Summit.

(Photos: PIO)