Minister of Foreign Affairs participates in the meeting of Foreign
Ministers
of the
EU and member states of the Arab League
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Ioannis Kasoulides,
participated in the bilateral meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the EU and the
member states of the Arab League, which took place in Athens on 10-11 June, in
the framework of the Greek Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
In his speech, the Minister made suggestions for the
further strengthening of cooperation between the EU and the Arab League
countries, which will give the opportunity to non-member countries of the Union
for the Mediterranean to contribute to the cooperation between the North and the
South. Moreover, he referred to the right to the freedom of religion of the
Christians in the Middle East and the Muslims in Europe, and suggested that the
meeting of the EU and the Arab League be a forum for tolerance and respect among
religions.
Minister Kasoulides also referred to the unity and
sovereignty of Lebanon, and expressed the Republic’s support for the Lebanese
armed forces. The Minister of Defence, Mr Christoforos Fokaides will participate
in a conference in support of the Lebanese armed forces to be held in Rome on 17
June.
On the sidelines of the meeting, the Minister held
bilateral meetings with his counterparts from the Arab states. Specifically, he
held meetings with the Foreign Ministers of Jordan, Algeria and the Palestinian
Authority as well as with the Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs of the Federal
Government of the United Arab Emirates and the Deputy Foreign Minister of the
Republic of Sudan. Bilateral issues, the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, the
Middle East Peace Process and the deliberations of the Organization of Islamic
Cooperation were discussed, as well as Cyprus and the cooperation between the EU
and the Arab League countries.
Minister Kasoulides will return to Cyprus on Wednesday,
11 June.
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