Cyprus and Israel are strategic partners and are building on cooperation mechanisms to address common challenges, Government Spokesman Nikos Christodoulides said, addressing an event of the American Jewish Committee in Washington.
Christodoulides addressed one of the conference’s fora, together with Israel’s consul in New York, Amir Sagie, who referred to the importance of building strategic alliances with Israel’s neighbors, especially Cyprus.
In his speech, the Cypriot official conveyed President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades’ deep appreciation for the work of the AJC in promoting and enforcing the relations between Cyprus and Israel as well as the relations between Cyprus and the US. He also referred to the exchange of visits on the highest level between Cyprus and Israel and the visits of the US Vice President and the US Secretary of State to Cyprus.
Cyprus and Israel are strategic partners, Christodoulides said, and stressed the efforts of the two states to build on cooperation mechanisms that would deal with common challenges.
He also referred to the cooperation between Cyprus, Israel and Greece, noting that it covers a series of sectors, such as security, defence, energy and maritime cooperation, making special reference to the discovery of hydrocarbon reserves in the Eastern Mediterranean.
«Our common goal with Israel is for the natural gas to work as the vehicle for the creation of a region of unity, peace and security,” he said.
Referring to the Cyprus problem, Christodoulides said that Turkey`s contribution to efforts to reach a solution of the Cyprus problem is of great importance, adding that «we count on our partners and friends to exert pressure on Turkey towards this end”.
“Our goal is to achieve a viable and functional solution that would further enhance Cyprus` regional role and contribute to prosperity and stability in the region,” he pointed out.
The forum concluded with questions from delegates that were answered by Christodoulides and the Israeli consul.
The Republic of Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. The leaders of the two communities in Cyprus have been engaged in UN-backed talks since May last year, with a view to reunite the island under a federal system.
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