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21-10-2020 15:22 |
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Joint
Declaration of the 8th Cyprus - Egypt - Greece Trilateral Summit, Nicosia,
October 21st, 2020 |
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We, Nicos Anastasiades, the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt and Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic, met in Nicosia, Cyprus, on October 21st, 2020, in the framework of the trilateral cooperation and coordination between our three countries. We discussed a broad range of issues and reiterated the importance of enhancing our efforts in promoting peace, stability, security and prosperity in the East Mediterranean. We discussed the unprecedented
challenge of Covid-19 and the enormous impact the pandemic poses on social,
economic and healthcare systems globally. With regards to the ongoing efforts
to tackle the crisis, we exchanged views and experiences on best possible
practices and lessons learned. The magnitude of the challenge, led the
leaders to examine the possibility of future cooperation on prevention and
regional management of pandemics. We reviewed the latest stance
of the ambitious and ongoing cooperation mechanism, which is considered as an
important milestone in the relations between our three countries.
Furthermore, we elaborated on progress achieved in sectoral
cooperation, inter alia, in the fields of defense and security, energy,
investments, tourism, diaspora, protection of the environment, protection of
cultural heritage, research and innovation, and education. We expressed our desire to
continue strengthening our cooperation through a series of agreements on the
exploration and transfer of natural gas, which further highlights the fact
that the discovery of hydrocarbons reserves can serve as a catalyst for
regional stability and prosperity. In this regard, we warmly welcomed the
signing of the statute of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF) by all seven
Founding Members, which establishes the EMGF as a regional organization,
based in Cairo, open to all countries that share the same values and
objectives of the EMGF and willingness to cooperate for the security of the
whole region and the welfare of its peoples. Established on the
fundamental principle that it fully respects the Members’ rights over their
natural resources, in accordance with international law, the EMGF will
support their efforts in unlocking the full gas resource potential in the region
and to monetizing their reserves. We also reaffirmed the
importance of the establishment of the EuroAfrica project, as an electricity
interconnector between the grids of Egypt, Cyprus and Greece, that promotes
the trilateral cooperation and enhances the security of energy supply, not
only of the countries involved but also of Europe, as it will create a
highway for the transmission of significant amounts of electricity generated
from gas from the Eastern Mediterranean fields but also from renewable energy
sources. The EuroAfrica Electricity Interconnector constitutes an important
component of the strategy to accelerate the development of the Eastern
Mediterranean Energy Corridor as a new alternative source of energy supplies
from the region to the European Continent and vice versa. In this regard
we look forward to the swift signing by our respective ministers, of a
memorandum of understanding which sets forth the framework of cooperation to
enable the timely implementation of the project, reflecting our shared c
ommitment towards this goal. We reiterated our commitment to
establish a Permanent Secretariat for the Trilateral Mechanism between
Cyprus, Egypt and Greece, based in Nicosia, in a way that maintains the
uniqueness of the relations between the three countries. To this end, we also
agreed to proceed with the appointment of Country Representatives to the
Secretariat at the earliest, with a view to enabling the Secretariat to start
operating before the end of 2020. We reemphasized the necessity
of enhancing international efforts in combating the spread of
terrorism and extremism, and urged the international community, in
particular the United Nations, to take further actions, in
accordance with international law, against all terrorist groups,
regardless of their forms and ideologies, as well as taking concrete actions
and measures to hold accountable those regional actors who provide
terrorist groups with funds, weapons, foreign terrorist fighters,
safe havens, incitement and media outlets, in clear violation
of the relevant Security Council resolutions. We exchanged views over the
latest developments regarding the situation in Libya and repeated our
position on the need for a comprehensive political settlement. In this
context, we welcomed the Cairo Declaration of June 6th, 2020, as
well as the cease-fire announcement of 21st August 2020 and acknowledged the
crucial role of Egypt in achieving the said goal. We expressed also our
commitment to the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Libyan
state, and rejected the detrimental intervention by Turkey in Libyan affairs,
in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1970/2011 and
1973/2011 and 2441/2018. We also rejected Turkey’s export of arms and
military equipment, as well as its sponsoring of the transfer of foreign
terrorist fighters into Libya, in clear violation of UN Security Council
Resolution 2396(2017). We reiterated that the
Memorandum of Understanding on the Delimitation of the Maritime Jurisdiction
Areas in the Mediterranean and the Memorandum of Understanding on Security
and Military Cooperation signed in November 2019 between Turkey and Mr. Fayez
El Saraj, are respectively in contravention of international law and the UN
arms embargo in Libya and that both undermine regional stability. We recalled
that the Memorandum of Understanding on the delimitation of maritime
jurisdictions in the Mediterranean Sea infringes upon the sovereign rights of
third States, does not comply with the Law of the Sea and cannot produce any legal
consequences. We expressed our commitment to
the unity, sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of the Syrian
state. We strongly reject and condemn the Turkish invasion and occupation of
northeast Syria, which has led to demographic changes and aggravated the
security situation, intensifying refugee flows and destabilizing even more
the broader area. We further emphasized support to international endeavors as
defined by UNSCR 2254 and the Geneva Communiqué, which enhance the political
solution of the conflict in an inclusive way. On the Palestinian issue, we
reiterated the need to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based
on the two-state solution, in accordance with the relevant UN Resolutions,
and the establishment of a sovereign, viable and contiguous Palestinian State
within the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital, living in
peace with all its neighbors. Furthermore, we welcomed the recent
normalization agreements Israel signed with the United Arab Emirates and
Bahrain respectively, and believe they represent a positive contribution
towards attaining peace and stability in the Middle East. We reiterated our unwavering
support to the efforts of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus to reach a
comprehensive, just and viable solution to the Cyprus problem based on the
relevant U.N. Security Council Resolutions and international law. We
condemned Turkey’s actions in Varosha in violation of relevant Security
Council Resolutions and called on Turkey to terminate its provocative
actions, comply with UN Resolutions in particular 550 (1984) and 789 (1992)
and to contribute constructively and in concrete terms for
the resumption of structured and result oriented negotiations for a
comprehensive and sustainable settlement of the Cyprus problem on the basis
of the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions. Such a solution must be
compatible with the Republic of Cyprus’ capacity as an EU member state and
fully safeguard its independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and
security. To this end, the termination of the anachronistic security
arrangements and the withdr awal of foreign forces remain a sine qua non for
the Republic of Cyprus as a sovereign state. We stressed that the United
Nations remain the only framework through which a settlement can be achieved. We expressed our
grave concern over the recent escalation within the maritime zones in
the eastern Mediterranean and the increased militarization of the area that
threatens the wider stability, peace and security in the Mediterranean Sea.
We strongly condemned Turkey’s illegal drilling and seismic operations
in Cyprus’ EEZ/continental shelf, in marine areas already delimited in
accordance with international law, including between the Republic of
Cyprus and the Arab Republic of Egypt, by means of the 2003 EEZ Delimitation
Agreement. Furthermore, we also condemned the continuous violations of Greek
national airspace and territorial waters in the Aegean Sea and Turkey’s
illegal activities in areas falling within Greece’s continental shelf, in
contravention of international law. We stressed the importance for the
respect of the sovereignty and the sovereign rights of each state in its
maritime zones in accordance with international law, and as
reflected in the UN Conventi on on the Law of Sea (UNCLOS) and called on
Turkey to permanently abstain from such actions in the future, thus helping
create conditions conducive to dialogue which cannot be conducted in an
aggressive environment or under the threat of use of force. We underlined that the
delimitation of the Continental Shelf and Exclusive Economic Zone should be
addressed through dialogue and negotiation in good faith, in full respect of
international law. In this respect we call on Turkey to accept the invitation
by Cyprus to engage into negotiations, in good faith and in full respect of
international law, with the objective to reach an agreement for the maritime
delimitation between their relevant coasts, or to submit the issue to the
International Court of Justice. In the same vein we welcomed the
signing and entry into force of the Agreement on the delimitation of EEZ
between Greece and Egypt, a milestone agreement which has been concluded in
full compliance with International Law as reflected in UNCLOS, as it contributes
to stability and security in the East Mediterranean region. We discussed the recent
developments on the negotiations on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam
(GERD) and expressed deep concern that those negotiations between Egypt,
Ethiopia and Sudan under the auspices of the African Union did not bear
fruit. We underscored that the negotiations between the riparian states must
continue and reiterated that previous agreements, especially the 2015
Declaration of Principles which requires Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan to reach
an agreement on filling and operation of the GERD, should be upheld and the
obligation not to cause significant harm. The principle of equitable and
reasonable utilization and the principle of cooperation should remain the
foundation for reaching a fair and balanced agreement. We reiterated the importance of
preserving and protecting the cultural heritage of the Mediterranean and the
Middle East regions, and emphasized our resolve to prevent and prohibit
illicit trade in cultural property, including property deriving from areas
under armed conflict in the Middle East and encourage UNESCO’s efforts to
help put in place a ban on illicit trade and support the restitution of these
properties. We also reiterated our determination to address the issue of the
protection of underwater cultural heritage in the East Mediterranean from
illicit excavations and damage that might be caused by other activities,
through the elaboration of an Agreement. Special attention should be given to
the fields of know-how exchanges and training seminars. We reiterated our determination
to work together towards achieving an enhanced mutually beneficial EU-Egypt
Partnership and a stronger strategic engagement in areas of common interests.
In that regard, we welcomed the first visit of EU High Representative Borrell
to Cairo as an important step towards the further enhancement of EU-Egypt
relations. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary
of the Barcelona Process, we underlined the importance of the Union for
the Mediterranean as a vehicle for intensifying the cooperation between the
two shores of the Mediterranean. We also highlighted the strategic importance
of the Southern Neighborhood and we agreed to work closely for the renewal of
the Partnership between the EU and its Member States and the Southern
Mediterranean Countries. We emphasized the shared
responsibilities of the “international partners” in addressing the root
causes of illegal migration including socio-economic dimensions and the
security perspective. Furthermore, we recognized the potential areas of
cooperation regarding the phenomenon of migration, including labour
migration, given the demographic trends on the two shores of the
Mediterranean. We also emphasized the achievements attained by Egypt in
aborting all attempts of illegal migration across its shores since September
2016 while dealing with other dimensions of the issue from a comprehensive
approach through national strategies for combating illegal migration and
human trafficking. We expressed our serious concern over the fact that there
is a continued pressure over the Eastern Mediterranean Route in terms of
migration flows. Encouraged by the positive
results thus far and convinced by the strategic importance of the trilateral
cooperation between our three countries, we expressed our firm determination
to continue working closely on issues of mutual interests to the benefit of
our peoples and of the peoples of the wider region. We agreed that the next
trilateral Summit will take place in Greece in the first / second half of
2021. (RM/IK/SCH) |
