CYPRUS and Egypt yesterday gave pledges of mutual support, reaffirming their will to work with one another to resolve regional issues.
Under a joint declaration signed in Cairo, Egypt welcomes the decision of the two leaders in Cyprus, President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, to begin a negotiations process with the aim to reach a just and viable solution of the Cyprus problem, based on international law, the UN Charter and the relevant UNSC resolutions.
The declaration adds that Cyprus will support Egypt’s efforts to upgrade its relations with the EU as well as contribute to further enhanced dialogue between Cyprus and the Arab League.
Cyprus also supports the Egyptian initiative to deal with the situation in Gaza, an initiative widely supported by the EU.
Christofias said his meeting with his host, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak had been “very warm and sincere.”
He was speaking shortly after attending a lunch in his honor at Mubarak’s residence in the Egyptian capital.
Calling Egypt a “key player” in the Middle East, Christofias said Cyprus would continue supporting efforts for a solution to the Palestinian question and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
“It is extremely important that Cyprus has as a good friend such a large country as Egypt,” he told newsmen.
Christofias is on a four-day official visit to Cairo, heading a high-powered delegation that includes Finance Minister Charilaos Stavrakis, Commerce Minister Antonis Paschalides and senior government officials.
In addition to the joint declaration, the two nations signed a number of bilateral agreements to boost cooperation in the areas of tourism, local administration and their respective state archives departments. An agreement was also signed between the Cyprus News Agency and the Middle East News Agency (MENA).
Amid full state honors, Christofias visited the final resting place of former Egyptian President Anwar al Sadat and laid a wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
On the business end of the visit, one of the main objectives of the Cypriot mission is to attract Egyptian investors and tourists to the island. The President is also accompanied by a business delegation of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who will hold a series of contacts with businesspeople from Egypt.
Christofias said he and Mubarak had discussed possible cooperation in the field of energy, but did not go into details.
“We reaffirmed our desire to continue this cooperation. Of course this includes the area of energy and our common efforts to make use of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the adjacent areas.”
Egypt was the first of neighbouring countries with whom Cyprus concluded an agreement to determine their respective EEZs years ago.
Cyprus is also interested in securing supplies of natural gas from Egypt, although according to reports a deal would come no earlier than 2012, when the Arab country frees up some 1.7 billion meters of the fuel for bidding.
Christofias’ busy itinerary yesterday included meeting Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif and religious leaders, addressing a business forum and visiting various sites.
He next travels to Alexandria to meet the Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa Theodoros II. Back in Cairo, he will see Pope Shenouda III of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria.
