Cyprus is ready, in an effort to bridge Europe, North Africa, the Near and Middle East, to host an annual political and economic forum in which all the countries of the region could participate with the aim of exploring ways of further deepening the political, economic, commercial and cultural links between the EU and all the countries of the region, Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades has said.
Addressing on Friday an International Conference on Egypt’s Economic Development, held in Sharm El Sheikh, Anastasiades said that the main guiding principle underlying this, is that the mutual benefit is potentially of much higher importance and collectively more rewarding compared to any singular benefit.
“Therefore, joint co-operation in promoting our shared objectives of achieving stability, security and prosperity through addressing the complex challenges the Eastern Mediterranean is facing can have a positive spill-over effect in building the foundations for regional peace. After all, economic partnerships create common interests and form an integral part of political synergies,” he added.
Anastasiades congratulated the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and his government for the measures already taken to initiate structural reforms and promote investment, noting that their efforts are already bearing fruit and I am confident that this conference will positively contribute towards this end.
He stressed that the Republic of Cyprus, from the very beginning, strongly supported Egypt’s political reforms and economic development initiatives, which, as he noted, are in the same line of thought as the current policies of the Cyprus government.
Noting that the actions of the extremist organisations in the region aim in the destabilization of the region, Anastasiades said that “it is for this reason we welcome the increasing international cooperation for combating extremist groups that barricade themselves behind religious fundamentalism,” and assured that Cyprus, “despite being a small island state, is actively supporting this effort.”
CNA/MK/GV/2015
ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY