Under the title "Israeli-Greek-Emirati Talks in Cyprus Searching for 'Strategic Partnership' in the Middle East," France 24 reported that Cyprus hosted talks on Friday between diplomatic officials from Israel, the UAE, and Greece, focusing on political and economic coordination. These countries aim to establish a "strategic partnership extending from the shores of the Arabian Gulf to the Mediterranean and Europe," according to Israel's Foreign Minister. Both the Greek and Cypriot foreign ministers emphasized that the regional bloc is open to all.
Cyprus hosted a meeting on Friday with senior diplomats from Israel, the UAE, and Greece, during which discussions were held that reflect the "changing face" of the Middle East. Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi stated in a press conference in the coastal city of Paphos, "This new strategic partnership extends from the shores of the Arabian Gulf" to the Mediterranean and Europe.
Ashkenazi, alongside Anwar Gargash, the diplomatic adviser to UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, said that the meeting symbolizes the "changing face of the Middle East." The Israeli minister called for "a strategic partnership in the field of energy between the Eastern Mediterranean and the Gulf," following the historic agreement to normalize relations between Israel and the UAE signed last year.
Gargash stated that ties with the Jewish state represent an "alternative strategic outlook" aimed at enhancing regional security, adding that the Paphos discussions covered economic and political coordination, as well as "using technology to combat COVID-19."
Open Bloc
The Greek and Cypriot foreign ministers stressed that the regional bloc is open to everyone. Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides said, "The door is open for all countries in the region to join us," without directly referring to Turkey, which occupies the northern third of Cyprus and is in dispute with Nicosia and Athens over gas resources in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, who visited Turkey on Thursday and Libya on Monday, reiterated the call for the "withdrawal of all foreign troops" from Libya, where Turkish forces are deployed. Regarding Iran and its controversial nuclear program, Ashkenazi emphasized that Israel will do "whatever it takes to prevent this radical and anti-Semitic regime from obtaining nuclear weapons."
