The Foreign Minister of Lebanon, Abdallah Bou Habib, reaffirmed the steadfast support of Lebanon to Cyprus, on the basis of principles, noting the importance of dialogue in conflict resolution.
Moreover, speaking during a meeting he had on Friday afternoon with the House President, Annita Demetriou, Bou Habib said that Cyprus is a second home for the people of Lebanon and a bridge towards the West.
According to a House press release, the long-standing and close relations of friendship between the two countries were stressed during the meeting and it was noted that Cyprus and Lebanon have both experienced painful events and are both committed to common principles and values.
Demetriou expressed sincere thanks to Bou Habib about the positions of principle of Lebanon as regards the Cyprus problem and the efforts to solve it, on the basis of the UN resolutions on Cyprus.
Moreover, she thanked him about Lebanon’s readiness to contribute in combating the forest fires last summer in Cyprus, assuring of Cyprus’ unwavering and tangible support in the difficult times that Lebanon is going through.
Referring to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the House President underlined that the strongest weapon, particularly for small countries, is and continues to be their attachment to international law principles and international legality.
Demetriou stressed that Cyprus understands the meaning of an invasion and of people becoming refugees, has provided significant humanitarian aid to Ukraine and has embraced a big number of Ukrainian refugees who arrived to Cyprus, giving them every possible support.
She said that the migration issue constitutes one of the most significant current challenges and must be addressed in a spirit of unity and solidarity, always with respect to human rights.
Demetriou noted that unfortunately Turkey instrumentalises the people’s need for a better future and sends illegal immigrants through Cyprus’ Turkish occupied areas to the government controlled areas of the Republic, which receive the biggest number of asylum seekers in proportion to the population among the EU member states.
On his part, the Lebanese FM thanked about the significant help of the Republic of Cyprus to Lebanon, as Cyprus hosts a big number of Lebanese citizens who live and work here.
Demetriou was briefed about the situation in Lebanon, and expressed the belief that the country will overcome the current difficulties and will enter a new era of development and opportunities.
During the meeting, the press release noted, the two sides underlined the important prospects for the further enhancement of the relations and the cooperation between Cyprus and Lebanon in fields of common interest and at various levels, including the parliamentary one, after the elections in the country, next month.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
Source: Cyprus News Agency