Press Releases

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Christodoulides, travels to Israel on Sunday night where he is due to pay a two-day working visit, upon invitation from the Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Yair Lapid.

The main focus of Mr. Christodoulides' contacts during the visit to the neighboring country will be on the consultations that he will hold with his Israeli counterpart, which will be the first that the two Ministers will have since Mr. Lapid took office last month.

Ministers Christodoulides and Lapid will have a tête-à-tête meeting on Monday morning (26/7) as well as extended consultations with the participation of official delegations of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the two countries, during which the constantly expanding bilateral relations Cyprus - Israel will be reviewed and ways to in which to further strengthen them in a number of specific areas will be considered.

Issues pertaining to the promotion of regional co-operation and dialogue will also be discussed and views will be exchanged, inter alia, on the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as on EU-Israel relations.

For his part, Minister Christodoulides will also brief on the latest developments in the Cyprus problem, in light of the new provocative and illegal activities of Turkey, especially in relation to the enclosed area of Famagusta.

Later on, the Foreign Minister will meet with the new Israeli Minister of Energy, Ms. Karine Elharrar, with whom they will exchange views on cooperation between the two countries in the fields of energy and the exploitation of natural resources, as well as on the prospects for further enhancement of regional cooperation in these areas.

During his stay in Israel, Mr. Christodoulides will be received in separate meetings by the President of Israel, Mr. Isaac Herzog, and the Prime Minister, Mr. Naftali Bennett, with whom he will have the opportunity to discuss issues relating to bilateral relations between Cyprus and Israel, the Cyprus problem, as well as regional and international affairs of common interest.

(SCH)