The Foreign Ministers of Cyprus, Greece, and Palestine, Ioannis Kasoulides, Nikos Kotzias and Riad Malki, held a trilateral meeting on Wednesday, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
After the meeting, the three parties issued a Joint Communique, with references to regional issues of mutual interest and to areas of potential future cooperation, while underlining their determination to enhance relations.
In their statement, the three ministers expressed their “unwavering support” for ongoing efforts to reunite Cyprus, while backing a two-state solution to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Speaking afterwards, Kasoulides said the trilateral cooperation of Cyprus, Greece and Palestine had begun.
According to the minister, it extends to “political issues and brings together three countries that hold the same values as regards the efforts to address terrorism and asymmetrical threats.”
Kasoulides also said that they were setting a positive agenda regarding their cooperation in the fields of tourism, economy, and the environment.
The three sides will meet again in January.
Discussion will revolve around the geostrategic situation in the region, the creation of security structures, and cooperation in sectors such as education, tourism and economy, the Greek foreign minister said.
Kotzias said that the Palestinian side is very pleased with this initiative.
“It is an initiative that goes beyond traditional bilateral fora,” while embarking on a trilateral cooperation scheme “with positive results for each participating country,” he said.
Asked whether Israel had expressed any objections over the meeting with Palestine, the Greek minister said “we do not ask third parties, the same way we do not ask other countries when we hold a trilateral meeting with Israel.”
He assured, however, that trilateral collaborations were not directed against any other country.
The Joint Communique notes that the three ministers held a wide-ranging discussion on issues of mutual interest, including developments in the Middle East and their impact on the wider region, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Cyprus issue, as well as areas for future trilateral cooperation.
They also reaffirmed their governments` commitment to “mutually acceptable, political and inclusive solutions on the basis of international law and on the relevant UN resolutions” as well as to the promotion of peace and stability in the eastern Mediterranean.
The ministers expressed support for a “two-state solution on the basis of the June 4, 1967 lines, leading to a sovereign, independent, viable and contiguous State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side by side in peace and security with Israel and its other neighbours.”
“A permanent solution to the Israeli – Palestinian conflict in accordance with international law would greatly boost security and stability across the region and beyond” they added, and welcomed efforts, including the one by France, to revive the peace process.
They also reaffirmed their “unwavering support to the ongoing negotiations for a solution to the Cyprus problem that will reunify the island in accordance with international law and the relevant UN Security Council resolutions”.
Also on Wednesday, Kotzias met with UN Special Adviser on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide.
The Greek diplomat reiterated his country’s position that third-state guarantees had no place in a Cyprus settlement.
