The foreign ministers of Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus held a trilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, to discuss the strategic relations among the three countries and the latest regional and international developments.
The meeting, which was attended by Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Greek and Cypriot counterparts Giorgos Gerapitrites and Constantinos Kombos, reflected the keenness of the three countries to emphasize the strength of their cooperation mechanism, which is a fundamental pillar of their policies, especially in the current situation that is witnessing unprecedented challenges that require close cooperation and coordination.
Minister Shoukry stressed that the trilateral mechanism has become a main forum for consultation and coordination on regional and international issues, and a framework for successful regional cooperation in the Mediterranean to address common challenges and emergency crises. He also stressed the mutual commitment to translate the political consensus into concrete cooperation on the ground in security, economic, and cultural fields.
The ministers stressed the importance of following up on the results of previous trilateral summits and holding the tenth summit as soon as possible, as well as accelerating the implementation of the projects covered by the vision of the mechanism and overcoming any obstacles that impede its implementation.
The ministers also reviewed the progress made in several joint projects in the energy (gas and electricity), tourism, transport, and twinning sectors among ports, agriculture, and others, with an emphasis on promising prospects for strengthening cooperation ties between the three countries in several other vital sectors.
The ministers stressed the importance of enhancing coordination within the framework of the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF) to maximize the utilization of the gas resources in the region and to achieve the common interests of the member states.
The meeting witnessed intensive discussions on the latest regional and international issues of common interest and ways to intensify consultation and coordination in support of the stability and security of the region.
The discussions focused on the developments of the Libyan crisis and efforts to support the constitutional process in Libya, as well as developments in the Syrian file, the crisis in Sudan, and the efforts of the Sudan Neighborhood Mechanism, as well as the situation in the Palestinian territories and the efforts to revive the peace process.
Minister Shoukry also briefed his counterparts on the developments related to the negotiations of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), stressing that Egypt attaches the highest priority to the issue of water security as a crucial issue that requires exerting all possible efforts to reach a legally binding agreement on the rules for filling and operating the dam.
The ministers agreed to continue coordination and consultation during the next phase to ensure the follow-up of the process of trilateral cooperation, as well as to continue close coordination in various international and regional forums on issues related to the stability of the region.
