Jerusalem: The Chairman of the House of Representatives' Committee on Foreign and European Affairs, Harris Georgiades, emphasized the geopolitical significance of the Eastern Mediterranean and advocated for enhanced collaboration within the 3+1 scheme, comprising Cyprus, Greece, Israel, and the United States. This call was made during his intervention at an inter-parliamentary meeting of the four countries held on Thursday.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Georgiades articulated that the Eastern Mediterranean stands as a critical strategic region that could either escalate into a zone of tensions and threats to international security or develop into a hub of stability, investment, and energy interconnection. He argued that the future of the region heavily relies on the effective coordination among the three liberal democracies and persistent engagement from the United States, which together constitute the cornerstone of the 3+1 partnership.
Georgiades clarified that the initiative is not aimed against any state but is intended to further shared interests and common security concerns. Addressing the evolving political landscape in Turkey, he noted the country's significant transformation over the past two decades towards authoritarianism, Islamism, and nationalism, moving away from its secular and Western-oriented history. He pointed out that this transformation is not solely attributable to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan but reflects broader structural changes within Turkey's political system and institutions.
Georgiades emphasized the strong domestic support for the partnership within Cyprus, highlighting that both the political establishment and the general public are in favor of cooperation with Israel and Greece, alongside the broader 3+1 scheme. He cited a recent poll indicating that seven out of ten Cypriots favor collaboration with Israel and Greece, and four out of ten view Israel as Cyprus's primary security partner, with the United States following closely.
The meeting was attended by key figures, including Knesset members Ohad Tal and Alon Schuster, co-chairs of the Knesset's Eastern Mediterranean Group, which manages relations with Cyprus and Greece and advocates for the 3+1 framework. US Congressmen Brad Schneider and Randy Fine, Greece's representative to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly MP Demetris Kairidis, Greg Roman, Chief Executive Officer of the Middle East Forum, and geopolitical experts from the four countries also participated in the event.