The "sky is the limit" when it comes to the relationship of Cyprus with UAE, said President Nikos Christodoulides, during his meeting with Lana Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister for Political Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, which took place at the Presidential Palace on Friday.
The meeting was also held in the presence of the Cyprus' Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos, the Deputy Minister for European Affairs, Marilena Raouna, and the Government Spokesperson, Konstantinos Letymbiotis.
Christodoulides said that Cyprus' Presidency of the Council of the EU next year wants to pave the way for a substantial results-orientated relationship of the European Union with the region, with Nusseibeh noting that Cyprus and its relationship with both Israel and other countries in the Arab region makes it a prime location for redevelopment efforts for Gaza.
The UAE's 'ambassador' to Brussels
In his introductory remarks during the meeting, Christodoulides underlined that bilateral relations are stronger than ever and that from the Cypriot side there is a clear political commitment to do much more.
“UAE, for us, is the most reliable and predictable partner in the Gulf. I want to thank you publicly for the support. We work together for ‘Amalthea’, the humanitarian corridor. I want to thank you also for the desalination plants. It was really difficult and challenging times, and your immediate response means a lot to us”, he noted in that regard.
According to the President, Nusseibeh is visiting Cyprus at a very important moment, less than two months before the assumption of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
“You know very well that we are your ambassador in Brussels and will continue to be. But we want our presidency to pave the way for substantial results-orientated relationship of the European Union with the region and also to see at bilateral level what we can do. I really believe that we can do much more, not only at the political security level, but also in economy, investment, and tourism. Sky is the limit when it comes to the relationship of Cyprus with UAE”, he underlined.
'Prime location for Gaza redevelopment efforts'
He added he is looking forward to receiving the UAE President as soon as possible, as discussed during their last telephone conversation before going to Sharm el Sheikh for the Gaza summit.
For her part, the Emirati Assistant Minister said she just came from the Limassol port where together with her team they saw the incredible operations that have been put into place from Larnaca, and the screening process in place.
She added that in the press conference that followed, they commended the “incredible work” of the Cypriot government, “helping the people of Gaza through a very difficult time”, while also urging that this route is expanded in the redevelopment, reconstruction, economic recovery period for Gaza.
“We think Cyprus and its relationship with both Israel but also countries like ours in the Arab region makes it a prime location for these redevelopment efforts for Gaza,” she continued.
“We very cognisant that all of our collective security is now interdependent, and we need a stable development plan in Gaza. The UN resolution that is being discussed right now, we are all giving our input to take into account these considerations, and I think President Trump has done a great job in getting us to this point of ceasefire and a political process," she said.
'Space is the limit'
But the work begins now to make it an actuality and what I have seen here today with our aid team is very clear to me the important part that Cyprus must play in that and continue to play in that”, she noted on the issue.
Regarding the bilateral relationship, Nusseibeh said that the UAE has already put probes up into space, commenting that “sky is not the limit, space is the limit for the relationship”, a feeling that, as she said, the UAE President also shares.
“Anything we can do to ensure the success of your presidency is very much in our interests as well. We are here to show, as the first country that has come here, as you assume the presidency, our support for it in whatever way that is required”, she underlined.
Sudan, Russia, Ukraine
She added that the economic cooperation needs to increase bilaterally, with the free trade agreement with the EU being something UAE would wish to see under the Cyprus EU Presidency as something that is achieved.
“The EU talks today about economic competitiveness and diversifying its relationships with other countries in the Gulf and the Middle East. We would like to see that, because you have a pragmatic results-orientated presidency, it is very clear in your manifesto, we would like to see that operationalised during your presidency as well, what does that tangibly mean in terms of creating new partnerships, whether it's with India or with countries like ours that are prime movers in the Gulf”, she further explained.
She also referred to cooperation on energy, technology, AI and innovation, as well as water scarcity, “a critical challenge that faces the entire region, not only you, so the shared technology space in that field is something we can continue to work on together”.
Referring to the regional political files, she said that with economics, technology, and innovation, you need a stable geopolitical environment.
“Whatever we can do together, not only in the issues in our region, Gaza, Sudan, other parts of the region, but also in yours vis-à-vis Russia and Ukraine, I think a shared sense of collective security and our shared idea towards what strategic autonomy looks like for both of our two countries is something we could continue to develop”, she concluded.
CNA