Political consultations between Israel, Greece and Cyprus

With Turkey making some noises that some sort of agreeement can reached with Israel over the Mavi Mamamara affair, other count5ries in the region got down to detailed discussions to improve life for the people of the region

The 2^nd Trilateral Political Consultations at the level of Secretaries General of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Israel, Greece and Cyprus were held in Jerusalem this week between Israeli MFA Director General, Ambassador Dore Gold, and his counterparts from Greece and Cyprus,

The three parties examined regional and international issues in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean in view of the importance that they attribute to their enhanced bilateral ties and the desire to formalize a trilateral regional partnership as a promoter of regional stability, security and cooperation.

The three parties focused on the prospects for cooperation in the fields of:

·       Energy Development

·       Immigration

·       Fighting Terrorism

·       Tourism

·       Environment

·       Water Management

·       Research and Technology

They also discussed the trilateral cooperation in a wide range of issues including search and rescue, civil protection, economic cooperation, shipping, health and medicine, education, agriculture and fisheries, conflict resolution, people-to-people contacts and culture. The discussions reflected the common will to enhance even further the partnership between Israel, Greece, and Cyprus in all fields.

Secretary General Ambassador Paraskevopoulos from Greece, from his part, stressed the need to comprehensively address the crucial issue of current refugee flows from crisis regions and their humanitarian, social and financial implications, as well as their root causes.

Permanent Secretary Ambassador Zenon, Cyrus briefed his counterparts on the negotiations process under the United Nations auspices aiming at a just, lasting and comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus Problem, based on international law and the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.

The three parties agreed to further promote trilateral consultations and to expand their dialogue on all levels with the aim of promoting mutual interests and contributing to regional peace, stability, security and prosperity