Jordanian King Abdullah II, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras reiterated on Sunday support for a comprehensive, just, lasting and negotiated solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict based on the two-state solution.
“We strongly reaffirm our support for a comprehensive, just, negotiated and lasting settlement of the Israeli- Palestinian conflict based on the two- state solution and in accordance with international law, relevant UN resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative… that guarantees the establishment of an independent, viable and contiguous Palestinian state on pre-June 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital living side by side with Israel,” said a statement issued by the three leaders following summit talks at Al Husseiniya Palace in Amman.
The Greek Prime Minister said his country will increase coordination to strengthen EU-Jordanian relations and "to support peace in Syria, and a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine living in peace, based on the borders of 1967, with East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine."
The summit reaffirmed support for King Abdullah’s efforts to safeguard Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem and preserve the legal and historical status quo in the city.
Anastasiades revealed a decision was taken to establish a permanent secretariat in Cyprus. “Such decision will serve the further development of our trilateral mechanism, with the aim of ensuring that both its potential and momentum are fully exploited and utilized," he said.
The three leaders agreed to expand cooperation between their countries in vital sectors including energy, agriculture, tourism, health, education, trade, investment, and ICT.
They also agreed to encourage their respective private sectors to establish joint projects that capitalize on available trade opportunities, while bolstering expertise and knowledge exchange.
In remarks at the first round of the summit, King Abdullah said that since the meeting between the three leaders last year, the partnership between Jordan, Cyprus and Greece has moved in the right direction.
“The second trilateral summit is an opportunity to move beyond the political relationship to cover economic, security and cultural ties,” the King said, voicing hope that the joint business forum, held in parallel to the summit with the participation of business leaders from the three countries, would prove successful.
He noted renewable energy, agriculture, tourism, and transport as some key sectors for cooperation, and highlighted the role of Cyprus and Greece in overcoming regional challenges, noting efforts to move forward on the two-state solution and the peace process, as well as addressing challenges in Iraq and Syria.
Concerning Iraq, the summit recognized the great sacrifices borne by the Iraqi people, which culminated in the commendable territorial defeat of ISIS in Iraq.
“In this regard, we also express our support to the laudable efforts of the Iraqi government to be able to meet the needs of its people, through immediate stabilization ventures, which seek to prevent any political or security vacuum from emerging in the liberated areas- where reconstruction must commence and IDP’s return,” the statement said.
Later, King Abdullah and the Cypriot president witnessed the signing of a bilateral agreement on cooperation in fighting terrorism, organized crime, illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors, illegal migration and other criminal offenses.
