Today the Cyprus-Greece-Egypt trilateral meeting in New York

In trilateral meeting with his Greek counterparts, N. Dendias and Egypt, Shameh Shukri The Foreign Minister of Cyprus is attending today, Nikos Christodoulides, which is located in New York on the work of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly.

Christodoulides is also expected to meet with the Secretary General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, the Foreign Ministers of Mongolia, Battsetseg Batmunkh, Guyana Hugh Hilton Todd, Rwanda Vincent Biruta and Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan.

Mr. Christodoulides had separate meetings and contacts during yesterday, Wednesday (22/9), with the Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean, the Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology of the United Arab Emirates, as well as with his counterparts from Libya, Serbia, Moldova, Syria, Iraq, Senegal and Georgia.

During the working breakfast with the Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean, Nasser Kamel, there was an exchange of views on the latest developments in the wider Mediterranean region and ways to further strengthen cooperation between Cyprus and the Union were discussed, as well as the possibility of creating a rapid response force in cases of natural disasters, which would consist of detachments and equipment from the Member States of the Union for the Mediterranean.

In the framework of the meeting with the Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Nayef Falah Al-Hajraf, which followed, views were exchanged on the latest developments in the wider Gulf region, on the impact of the situation in Afghanistan on the countries of the region, while the ever-expanding cooperation between Cyprus and the Council was reviewed and it was decided that in the near future Secretary General Al-Hajraf will visit Cyprus, inter alia, to sign the Memorandum of Understanding on the institutionalization of consultations between the two sides, which is in the final stage of negotiation.

Mr.Christodoulides then had a meeting with the Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology of the United Arab Emirates, Dr.Sultan Al Jaber, the main topic of which was Cyprus' participation in the Expo2020 global exhibition that will open its gates next month in Dubai, as well as the strengthening of economic relations between Cyprus and the UAE so that they reflect the excellent level of political relations that the two countries have built.

During the meeting with Libyan Foreign Minister Najla El Mangoush, the situation in the country and the latest developments in the wider Eastern Mediterranean region, EU-Libya relations were discussed, while ways to reactivate bilateral relations between Cyprus and Libya were examined, based on the traditionally close ties of friendship that link the two countries and their peoples.

Afterwards, Christodoulides attended a working lunch with his Serbian counterpart Nikola Selakovic, with whom he had the opportunity to exchange views, among other issues, on the situation in the Western Balkans, on EU-Serbia relations, as well as on the further development of bilateral relations.

In the afternoon, the Foreign Minister met first with Deputy Foreign Minister of Greece, Mr. Nicu Popescu, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Moldova, with whom he discussed the progress of reforms in the country following the recent assumption of office by the new government, EU-Moldova relations and the prospects for their strengthening, Mutual willingness was expressed to speed up and complete consultations with a view to signing in the near future a number of bilateral agreements between Cyprus and Moldova which are currently under negotiation, as well as to exchange visits at ministerial level, in connection with the holding of business forums.

In a meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, he was briefed on the situation in the country, as well as on the humanitarian needs arising from the pandemic, while issues related to the bilateral relations between the two countries, which have been frozen in recent years due to the situation, were also discussed.

During the contacts with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, regional issues were discussed, including the possible participation of Iraq in the regional cooperation networks established in the wider region, as well as ways to further strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation between Cyprus and Iraq. In this context, Messrs. Christodoulides and Hussein signed an agreement to waive the visa requirement for holders of diplomatic and service passports between the two countries.

Later, Mr. Christodoulides had a meeting with the Senegalese Foreign Minister, Mrs. Aïssata Tall Sall, with whom they discussed the effects of the pandemic and how to deal with them, the strengthening of bilateral cooperation between Cyprus and Senegal, including in the framework of the International Francophone Organization, as well as EU-Senegalese relations, and EU-African Union relations, which will be chaired by the President of Senegal in 2022.

Finally, during the meeting between the Foreign Minister and his Georgian counterpart, David Zalkaliani, issues related to the further development of bilateral relations, EU-Georgia relations, as well as regional issues were discussed.

In the context of the meetings, Mr Christodoulides had the opportunity to brief his interlocutors on the latest developments in relation to the Cyprus problem.