Joint press release on the tripartite meeting of the Ministers
of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus, Greece and Egypt, in New
York
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Ioannis
Kasoulides, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the
Hellenic Republic, Mr Evangelos Venizelos, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs
of the Republic of Egypt, Mr Sameh Shoukry, held a trilateral meeting on 26
September in New York. The meeting took place for the second consecutive
year.
The Ministers had the opportunity to review developments in the
region and to underline the importance of the eastern Mediterranean becoming a
pillar of stability in the wider area, by promoting cooperation among
neighboring countries, including in the energy field.
They expressed their satisfaction regarding the ongoing trilateral
political consultations between their countries covering a multitude of
bilateral and regional issues of common interest and declared the commitment of
their respective governments to work closely together and to enhance their
cooperation in all fields of mutual benefit.
They reaffirmed their support to the government and the people of
Egypt in their quest for a prosperous and democratic country. They welcomed the
adoption of the new Constitution by referendum on 14 and 15 January 2014 which
enshrines human rights and fundamental freedoms. The Ministers expressed strong
solidarity with the people and the government of Egypt in their fight against
terrorism. They also stressed the importance of Egypt as pivot for peace and
stability in the region.
On the issue of Cyprus, they reaffirmed their support to the ongoing
efforts for reaching a solution on the basis of the relevant United Nations
Security Council Resolutions, which would be beneficial for all Cypriots and the
whole region. They welcomed and expressed their satisfaction with the
appointment by the Secretary General of Mr. Espen Barth Eide as his Special
Advisor on Cyprus. They also expressed their strong support to efforts to
implement confidence building measures that will provide a dynamic impetus to
the prospect of a united Cyprus.
With regard to the Middle East Peace Process, they underscored the
decisive role of Egypt and its invaluable sponsorship to the cease fire in Gaza
reached last August. They also stressed the need for the resumption
of negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians with a view to
reaching a mutual agreement on a two-state solution on the basis of the 1967
borders, which is imperative in order to achieve sustainable and viable peace.
They expressed their support to the October 12 th Conference on the
Reconstruction of Gaza that will be convened by Egypt and Norway.
On Iraq, they expressed concern over the deterioration of the
security and the humanitarian situation, condemned the gross violations of human
rights and the targeting of minority communities by terrorist groups
and underlined the need for collective action under the United
Nations auspices on the basis of Security Council Resolution 2170 and 2178. They
reaffirmed their conviction about the threat of terrorism, which is not only
limited to ISIL, but also includes all other extremist groups throughout the
region and beyond.
On Syria, they affirmed their support to the efforts of the new
Special Envoy for Syria, Mr. Stefan De Mistura, and expressed their commitment
to the efforts for a comprehensive political solution based on the principles of
the Geneva process and with a view to preserving Syrian territorial integrity
and fulfilling the aspirations of the Syrian people. They also expressed
satisfaction with the progress in the removal and destruction of the chemical
weaponry, and they commended efforts under the auspices of the United Nations to
alleviate the humanitarian conditions on the ground.
On Libya, they expressed deep concern at the threat posed by the
ongoing unrest to the country’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity,
including its impact on security and economy of neighboring countries, and the
increasing illegal migration burden to the southern European countries. They
called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and engagement in an inclusive
political dialogue and reconciliation process, within the framework of the
initiative adopted by the Libya Neighboring countries on August 25 2014, under
the United Nations auspices, in order to address the concerns and aspirations of
the Libyan people. The Ministers also reaffirmed their full support to the
legitimate institutions in Libya, in particular the House of Representatives, as
the sole representative of the Libyan people and executive institutions evolving
from it. They also expressed their support to the work of the constitutional
drafting assembly.
