Jerusalem: Cyprus is one of Israel’s closest friends, the country’s President Isaac Herzog said on Sunday, welcoming President Nikos Christodoulides and expressing gratitude for Cyprus’s support in combating recent wildfires, Deputy Government Spokesperson Yiannis Antoniou reported.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Antoniou stated that President Herzog thanked President Christodoulides for Cyprus’s immediate assistance in fighting the wildfires last week. Herzog also appreciated Christodoulides’s decision to proceed with his visit despite an attack at Ben Gurion airport. Herzog addressed the attacks Israel is facing and the regional situation, emphasizing the need for international efforts to address the humanitarian issue of freeing hostages from Hamas. He congratulated Christodoulides on Cyprus’s upcoming assumption of the EU Council Presidency in January.
Herzog highlighted the strength of the relationship between Cyprus and Israel, noting that there are over 110 flights between the two countries weekly. President Christodoulides expressed solidarity with Israel in dealing with wildfires and other challenges, emphasizing that regional cooperation is essential for tackling such issues.
Antoniou conveyed Christodoulides’s message that Cyprus aims to foster more cooperation in the region to address challenges and harness potential benefits for the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean. Despite political differences, Christodoulides stressed the importance of dialogue to address regional issues. His visit with families of hostages was described as deeply moving, with Cyprus having a strong stance that all hostages must be released, pledging to do what it can to facilitate this.
Bilateral relations between Cyprus and Israel were described as excellent by Christodoulides, with opportunities for further collaboration in energy, trade, and tourism. Antoniou also noted that Cyprus’s EU Council Presidency priorities include bringing the EU closer to the region and raising awareness of its importance, positioning Cyprus as the region’s ambassador within the EU.
Expanded talks between the delegations of Cyprus and Israel followed the meeting, covering bilateral relations, energy, Cyprus’s EU Council Presidency priorities, developments in the Cyprus problem, and the Middle East situation.