Nicosia: President Christodoulides was speaking during the tete-a-tete meeting he had at the Presidential Palace with the Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who is paying an official visit to Cyprus. Welcoming his Lebanese counterpart, President Christodoulides expressed his pleasure at hosting President Aoun, following the visit he paid to Lebanon and the constructive meeting between the two leaders had in Paris.
According to Cyprus News Agency, President Christodoulides stated, “I am looking forward to our deliberations. We have excellent relations; we are working very closely together. At the same time, there is a clear political will to do much more-to enhance our cooperation on defense, on security, on energy, on migration, on trade, on tourism.” He further noted that Cyprus will assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2026 and assured his counterpart that efforts will be made to raise awareness about the importance of Lebanon to the region and to the EU. He also expressed his willingness to host President Aoun again in April 2026 during an informal meeting between regional leaders and the EU.
President Christodoulides concluded his remarks by reiterating Cyprus’s clear position on respecting Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
President Aoun expressed his appreciation for Cyprus’s longstanding support for Lebanon, emphasizing the geographic proximity and shared interests and challenges of both countries. He noted that Lebanon counts on Cyprus’s continued support, especially during its upcoming EU Presidency.
The two leaders were later joined by their respective delegations for expanded talks.