The foreign ministers of Cyprus, Greece and Israel have reaffirmed their strategic alliance while sending clear signals regarding Turkey’s position in the Eastern Mediterranean, according to statements made during their trilateral meeting in Athens on Thursday.
In a significant diplomatic development, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar explicitly supported Cyprus’s territorial integrity, describing Turkey’s invasion and occupation of the northern part of the island as “unacceptable”.
Saar further stated that Israel opposes Turkish efforts to position itself as a defender of regional stability.
The meeting comes just days before Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos heads to Geneva for informal talks on the Cyprus issue.
Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, who will also attend the Geneva conference on Monday, emphasised that restarting efforts on the Cyprus problem represents “an important step toward resolving the Cyprus issue”.
Kombos confirmed Cyprus’s commitment to the upcoming talks, stating that “the Cypriot government is going to Geneva fully committed to achieving a positive outcome, which may concern the resumption of substantial negotiations”.
The three ministers also expressed strong interest in reviving the “3+1” format that would include the United States, a framework initially established during the Trump administration but which became inactive during President Biden’s term.
“We have a strong desire to revitalise the 3+1 format with the United States, working in step with the new administration and with the understanding that this expanded framework serves as a force multiplier for American regional architecture in the Eastern Mediterranean,” Kombos stated.
Gerapetritis noted that he had raised the issue during his recent meeting with U.S. Senator Marco Rubio and received “a preliminarily positive response”.
The ministers discussed the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) initiative, agreeing that their three countries possess interconnected strategic and geographical advantages that position them within the geoeconomic scope of this significant project.
“Together, we form the Mediterranean connecting link of the corridor through critical infrastructure, shipping, and skilled human resources. The gateway to Europe, for these purposes, is southeastern,” Kombos emphasised.
Regarding energy connectivity, Gerapetritis confirmed that the “Great Sea Interconnector” linking Greece, Cyprus, and eventually Israel will proceed as planned.
“We are ensuring that there will be no impediments to this project. We understand that connectivity projects are of very high importance for energy stability and security in our region, as well as for Europe and the world,” he said.
Israeli Foreign Minister Saar remarked that the events of October 2023 had “radically changed the region,” adding that “with our friend Mr. Trump, we have an opportunity to fix things in the region”.
Referring to Syria, Saar claimed that Christians had been massacred under the current regime and cautioned Syria to be careful in its relations with Turkey, accusing Ankara of enabling forces to enter Lebanon to assist Hezbollah.
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