President Nikos Christodoulides and Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji discussed the close ties between Cyprus and Lebanon during a meeting at the Presidential Palace today, with Rajji expressing warm thanks for the support Cyprus, and Christodoulides personally, have provided to his country.
Welcoming the Lebanese minister, Christodoulides said Rajji’s acceptance of an invitation to address the heads of the Republic’s diplomatic missions at their ongoing conference was a clear sign of the importance Cyprus places on Lebanon.
He added that Lebanon’s territorial integrity and sovereignty are a priority for Cyprus, just as they are for Lebanon.
Christodoulides also referred to his close personal friendship with the Lebanese President, noting frequent phone calls between them to coordinate action aimed at strengthening bilateral relations, for which he said there is the political will to deepen further.
He said that, as part of Cyprus’s EU membership, it remains committed to securing the start of negotiations on a comprehensive EU-Lebanon strategic agreement, following the same approach Cyprus took with its earlier initiative involving Jordan and Egypt.
He said he has raised the matter with the Commission President on several occasions and sent her a letter urging progress as soon as possible, noting that when he visited Lebanon together with the Commission President in 2024, it was the first time a European Commission President had visited the country.
He added that Cyprus, including within the EU, would do everything it could to strengthen relations between the EU and Lebanon.
For his part, the Lebanese Foreign Minister said he was conveying warm greetings from Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who considers President Christodoulides “a very good, close friend.”
He thanked Christodoulides personally and the Republic of Cyprus for what they have done for Lebanon, saying, “we know what you do for us.”
Referring to Cyprus’s recent Presidency of the Council of the EU, the minister offered his congratulations, saying Cyprus had left its own mark and used its influence for the benefit of Europe and the Mediterranean, thanking Cyprus and, through it, the EU, for what had been done for Lebanon.
