Cyprus Foreign Minister, Nicos Christodoulides, has told the Cyprus Agency (CNA) that consultations to prepare a meeting at foreign ministers’ level between Cyprus, Greece, Egypt and France are at an advanced stage.
Replying to CNA questions Christodoulides also said that trilateral meetings between Cyprus, Greece and Lebanon and Cyprus, Greece and Armenia are also set to take place soon at FM level, as well as a trilateral summit between Cyprus, Greece and Jordan.
He further noted that during a meeting they had on the sidelines of the Delphi Economic Forum, his Greek counterpart George Katrougkalos briefed him on his discussion with the UNSG’s envoy Jane Holl Lute, as well as about the possibility of having a meeting with the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, in the context of preparations for the resumption of substantive and results-oriented talks, with prospects of a positive outcome.
“We had been notified for some time now about the United States interest for an ad hoc participation in the trilateral summit between Cyprus, Greece and Israel and we were in constant contact, through diplomatic channels, in order to determine a specific date,” Christodoulides said replying to a question on the matter.
“The outcome of discussions during the recent days, is that this summit during which the United States will be represented by the Secretary of State may take place on March 20, in Israel,” he noted.
The Foreign Minister added that the four countries are in touch both to determine the final date of the summit as well as to set out the summit’s agenda.
“We consider this development particularly important, since it proves, among other things, the strong interest created by our enhanced cooperation with countries in the region, which is one of the fundamental pillars of our foreign policy,” Christodoulides pointed out.
In this context, he said, we are also working to set a date for a meeting at Foreign Ministers` level between Cyprus, Greece, Egypt and France. He noted that “our consultations are at an advanced stage.”
Asked about the content of his meeting with the Greek Foreign Minister George Katrougkalos, he said that he had the opportunity to be briefed in more detail on the discussion Katrougkalos had with Lute in Athens, and the Greek government’s evaulation of the ongoing effort for resumption of Cyprus talks from the point they were left in Crans-Montana and the possibility of a meeting Katrougkalos may have with Cavusoglu, in the context of preparations for the resumption of substantive and results-oriented talks, with prospects of a positive outcome.
Christodoulides also said that during his meeting with Katrougkalos they exchanged views about the next trilateral meetings which will take place.
Replying to a question about other trilateral meetings he said that apart from the summit in Israel, trilateral meetings have been arranged with Lebanon and Armenia at the FM level and with Jordan at the heads of state level.
(Cyprus News Agency)
https://in-cyprus.com/fm-pompeo-to-participate-in-next-cyprus-greece-israel-trilateral-summit/
