Cyprus, Greece and Egypt inaugurated today a new period of cooperation among them, by signing the Cairo Declaration, which includes strong references for the Cyprus issue and the Turkish provocations in Cyprus` Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
President of Egypt Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, who hosted the Tripartite Meeting today, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras stressed that their meeting constitutes the beginning of the cooperation between the three countries which aims at the prosperity of their peoples and the stability in the region.
The Cairo Declaration includes strong references regarding the termination of Turkish challenges in Cyprus` EEZ, the Cyprus issue as well as the speeding up of the negotiations among the countries which have not yet determined EEZ.
In the Cairo Declaration the three leaders “underline that the guiding principles of this tripartite partnership are the respect for international law and for the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, including commitment to friendly relations, international peace and security, respect for sovereign equality of States, independence and territorial integrity, peaceful resolution of international disputes, non-intervention and non-interference in the internal affairs of States and refraining from threat or use of force”.
They also note that the current trilateral partnership can serve as a model for a broader regional dialogue, including through close coordination and cooperation in the framework of multilateral fora, as well as through efforts to further promote relations between the EU and the Arab world.
As regards hydrocarbon reserves, they stress that “we recognize that the discovery of important hydrocarbon reserves in the Eastern Mediterranean can serve as a catalyst for regional cooperation. We stress that this cooperation would be better served through the adherence by the countries of the region to well established principles of international Law. In this respect, we emphasize the universal character of the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and decide to proceed expeditiously with our negotiations on the delimitation of our maritime zones, where this is not yet done”.
“We stressed the importance of the respect for the sovereign rights and jurisdiction of the Republic of Cyprus over its EEZ and called on Turkey to cease all seismic survey operations underway within the maritime zones of Cyprus and refrain from similar activity in the future”, the Declaration says.
The three leaders also “call for a just, comprehensive and lasting settlement of the Cyprus problem that will reunify the island in accordance with international law, including the relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions. Such a settlement would not only benefit the people of Cyprus as a whole, but would also significantly contribute to the stability and peace in the region”.
They also point out that “we are determined to continue to support the Egyptian people’s quest for democracy and prosperity through the implementation of the road map, including the holding of the upcoming parliamentary elections that will mark the culmination of the democratization process, which already witnessed the adoption of a new Constitution, and the holding of presidential elections”.
As regards the Middle East, they call for the realization of a just, comprehensive and lasting peace settlement in the Middle East based on the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, the establishment of a sovereign, viable and contiguous Palestinian state on the territories occupied since 4 June 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital, and living in peace and security with all its neighbors; in accordance with the positions and initiatives taken by the European Union and the Arab League”.
The Declaration also has references on terrorism, noting that it threatens both the Middle East and Europe and aims to violently set up a reign of terror in the region that will have catastrophic global implications.
“We strongly condemn all terrorist actions and call upon all states to actively and effectively confront this existential menace, whether in Libya or any other part of the Eastern Mediterranean Region, and to step up cooperation on security matters with a view to defeating these groups and expose their major supporters”.
It is furthermore noted that while the efforts of the anti-ISIL international coalition currently focus on the situation in Iraq and Syria, and while we continue to support the efforts of the new Special Envoy for Syria and to encourage collective action under the United Nations auspices on the basis of Security Council Resolution 2174 and 2178, we are equally concerned about the situation in Libya, and we are determined to take appropriate measures to support the call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and engagement in an inclusive political dialogue and reconciliation process in Libya in accordance with the Libya Neighbouring Countries Initiative adopted in Cairo on August 25th, 2014.
“We commit to mobilize all our capabilities in order to effectively promote our common interests and values. In this framework, we have established the tripartite consultation mechanism, which met today at the highest political level with a view to working towards unleashing the full potential of our region to the benefit of the peoples of our three countries and of the whole region”, the Cairo Declaration concludes.
