NEWS

Mitsotakis heading to Cyprus, Israel on Monday

Mitsotakis heading to Cyprus, Israel on Monday

In view of the upcoming informal summit on the Cyprus issue and recent strategic agreements, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will visit Nicosia and Jerusalem in rapid succession on Monday.

He will first arrive in Cyprus for talks with President Nicos Anastasiades before heading to Israel, where he will meet with his counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss bilateral issues and regional developments.

Especially in the case of Israel, the discussions between the two leaders are expected to include not only the strategic agreements that have already been signed (Kalamata Flight Training Center, Hellenic Vehicle Industry [ELVO] etc) but also future ones. Tourism will also be high on the agenda, especially in view of this summer and given that a large part of the Israeli population will have been vaccinated by then.

Regarding the Cyprus issue, diplomatic sources said Wednesday that the United Kingdom – which is the third guarantor power of the Cyprus Republic, along with Greece and Turkey – is clearly in favor of the framework set by the decisions of the United Nations Security Council – i.e. the bizonal, bicommunal federation. Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias met on Tuesday in London with British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who, the same sources said, showed special interest in the Greek positions regarding Cyprus and Turkey.

Raab reportedly pointed out that while the UK has close relations with Turkey, they do not compare to those enjoyed with Greece. What’s more, the same sources emphasized that Raab stressed his readiness to convey necessary messages to Ankara if the need arises.

As for the bilateral strategic relationship, Dendias pointed out that this could include new agreements in areas such as education, culture, trade relations, the fight against terrorism, as well as migration and refugees. Raab accepted an invitation to visit Athens next March or April. Dendias also raised the issue of the return of the Parthenon Marbles.

Subscribe to our Newsletters

Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights, opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox.

By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.