Trilateral Summit among Cyprus, Greece and Egypt takes place in Cairo

The 7th Trilateral Summit among Cyprus, Greece and Egypt takes place on Tuesday in Cairo, with the Cypriot side setting as a priority to highlight the need for respect of the international law, amidst Turkish illegal activities in Cyprus` Exclusive Economic Zone.

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades who travelled this morning to the Egyptian capital, will also have bilateral meetings with the President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and with the Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis. The Trilateral Summit will take place just after midday. Afterwards the three leaders will give a joint press conference.

In a post on Twitter this morning President Anastasiades said that the Trilateral Summit shows in concrete the establishment of an important mechanism of regional cooperation, aiming to fulfill the common vision of achieving peace, security and prosperity in the region.

Anastasiades is accompanied by Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides, Energy Minister Yiorgos Lakkotrypis and Government Spokesman Prodromos Prodromou.

Cooperation in the energy field will be an important topic on the agenda of the Cairo Trilateral Summit. Moreover the Summit will discuss the EU-Egypt relations and the role of the Suez Canal Economic Zone in promoting financial opportunities between Europe and Africa as well as economic and cultural relations among the three countries.

The three leaders will also refer to the efforts made to address terrorism and extremism, the situation in Libya and Syria, as well as the Palestinian issue. 
 
The three countries are expected to sign a series of agreements.

In statements to CNA, Cyprus Government Spokesman, Prodromos Prodromou said that the 7th Summit among Cyprus, Greece and Egypt is particularly important as it sends out a message of cooperation on the basis of international legality against the illegal intenventions of Turkey against the Republic of Cyprus. 

Prodromou noted that the commitment of Cyprus, Greece and Egypt to cooperation, on the basis of the international law and particularly the UN law of the sea convention, UNCLOS, and the support of the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus will be depicted in the Declaration of the Trilateral Summit.

He said that the meeting of the trilateral mechanism of Cyprus, Greece and Egypt is in itself important as this is the seventh summit. "However, at the same time, it is particularly important during this specific period of time, since it sends out the message of cooperation on the basis of the international legality against the illegal interventions of Turkey against the Republic of Cyprus," he added.

Moreover he said that the bilateral meeting which Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades will have with the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi  is of particular importance in the framework of the two countries` particularly close relation and cooperation, and that the two leaders will discuss among others about the illegal Turkish activities and provocations.

According to a navigational warning issued by Turkey, Turkish drill ship "Yavuz", which has returned to Cyprus’ EEZ, will carry out drilling operations inside block 7, located off the south-western coast of Cyprus. Block 7 has been licensed by the government of Cyprus to France’s Total and Italy’s ENI for drilling operations.
 
"Yavuz”, was anchored off the island’s north-eastern coast on July 8 and operated within the territorial waters of the Republic of Cyprus, until September 17, when it departed for a Turkish port in Mersin.
 
Moreover, Turkey issued a navigational telex (navtex), announcing its intention to start drilling off Cyprus and since 4 May 2019, the Turkish drill ship “Fatih” has been anchored 36 nautical miles west of Akamas peninsula. The area falls within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf of the Republic of Cyprus. Ankara extended the navtex until November 1, 2019.
 
Cyprus has called on drill ship “Yavuz” and its supporting vessels to immediately cease illegal actions in the Republic’ Exclusive Economic Zone and its continental shelf.
 
A navigational telex (navtex), published on the website of the Joint Rescue and Coordination Centre (JRCC) stationed in Larnaca, also warned all those working on "Yavuz" and its supporting vessels that they will face consequences and an international arrest warrant will be issued against them.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry`s spokesperson expressed on October 5 Egypt`s affirmation of the rights and sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus over its resources in the Eastern Mediterranean region, in accordance with international law, including areas where Cyprus has granted a license to explore for oil and gas”.

The spokesperson noted that “Cyprus has granted licenses for offshore oil and gas exploration and warns “of the repercussions of the continuation of any unilateral measures that violate Cyprus rights and threaten the security and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean region”, stressing the necessity of commitment to the respect and implementation of the rules and provisions of international law.