Filenews 19 October 2021
The dynamics of cooperation in a number of sectors, the main one being the energy sector, is confirmed by the 9th Tripartite Summit between Greece, Egypt and Cyprus, which is taking place today in Athens.
The Joint Declaration of the 9th Trilateral Summit between Greece, Cyprus and Egypt contains strong messages to Turkey, while the three leaders reaffirm their determination to continue cooperation on issues of mutual interest, enhancing peace, security and stability in the wider region.
It is also stressed that the electricity interconnection of the three countries can contribute to Europe's energy security, while reference is also made to the Turkish-Libyan Memorandum, which is noted to have no legal effects and undermines stability in the region.
For the electrical interface
The 3 leaders make particular reference to the signing of the tripartite electricity interconnection of the three countries, a project that, as underlined, "strengthens our economic cooperation and the security of energy supply not only of the countries involved, but also of Europe", as the electricity interconnection will create a channel for the transmission of significant quantities of electricity to and from the Eastern Mediterranean. The project, as mentioned, is an important component of the strategic development of the Eastern Mediterranean Energy Corridor, providing an alternative source of energy supply from the region to the European Union and vice versa.
Condemnation of Turkish provocativeness
The three send a message to Turkey to refrain from provocations and unilateral actions that violate International Law, such as harassing research ships licensed by Greece or Cyprus, underlining that in an aggressive environment or under the threat of the use of force, no productive dialogue can be conducted with results. They also underline the importance of "respecting the sovereignty and sovereign rights of all states in their maritime zones, in accordance with International Law, as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea".
They reject illegal drilling and seismic surveys by Turkish vessels in the Cyprus EEZ/continental shelf, in sea areas that have already been demarcated in accordance with International Law. The three leaders also condemn the continuous violations of Greek airspace and all other illegal activities in areas located within Greece's continental shelf, in violation of international law.
On Libya
On Libya, they reiterate the importance of maintaining the timetable agreed in the Roadmap for the holding of free and fair elections on 24 December 2021, without foreign interference, and the need to withdraw all foreign forces and mercenaries. They underline that the illegal Turkish-Libyan Memorandum and the Memorandum of Understanding for Military and Security Cooperation signed in November 2019 between Turkey and Fayez El Saraj violate both international law and the UN arms embargo on Libya, as they say "both undermine regional stability; moreover, the Memorandum of Understanding on the delimitation of areas of maritime jurisdiction in the Mediterranean violates the sovereign rights of third states, does not comply with the Law of the Sea and cannot produce legal effects."
What the three leaders said:
Anastasiades: Turkish Cypriots' position on two states is unacceptable
The President of the Republic, after praised the role of the 3 countries as pillars of stability in the region, said that he informed the leaders about Turkey's violations in Cyprus, making special reference to Varosha. Mr. Anastasiades made reference to Turkey's revisionist policy, lying about the Turkish Cypriot side's position on two states, which contradicts un resolutions. Referring to the Secretary General's proposal to appoint a special representative, he noted that due to the reactions of the Turkish Cypriot side, the appointment was ultimately not achieved, so today we are at an impasse. At the same time, he expressed the determination of the Greek Cypriot side for creative dialogue and referred to the efforts made in various for a to resume dialogue.
The countries of the Eastern Mediterranean cannot cooperate with each other and the only one that disrupts international law is Turkey, stressed the President of the Republic. He also reiterated that the co-forces developing in the region do not exclude anyone, not even Turkey.
Mitsotakis: Ankara seems not to understand the signs of the times
The Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in his statements, stressed that the cooperation between Greece, Cyprus and Egypt is spread over many sectors, while as of today, two memoranda of cooperation are added, those concerning energy and expatriates. The Prime Minister stood specifically on energy, saying that in our time all three countries are being upgraded in the region.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis described the "Greece-Cyprus-Egypt scheme" as a "beacon of stability in the Eastern Mediterranean". A beacon of stability in many parallel fields of action, "from energy and tourism to the protection of the environment and from high technology to trade and shipping".
We discussed other fronts, Mr. Mitsotakis said, bringing the example of the pandemic and recalling that Greece donated 250,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine.
Mr. Mitsotakis went on to say that there is an identification of the three countries in condemning Turkey's provocative behaviour. "Ankara's leadership seems not to understand the messages of the times," the prime minister said, saying what Turkey is doing undermines peace in the region.
We have shown the way to build cooperative and good neighbourly relations away from the logics of imposing unilateral arbitrariness, threats of war, practices that certainly do not belong to the 21st century."
Referring then to the situation in Libya, the Prime Minister said that "developments in Libya are affecting the security of the wider region. Holding elections in December are steps towards normalcy as are the withdrawal of all troops and mercenaries. Greece, Egypt and Cyprus actively support Libya's transition to peace and democracy. Our diplomatic contribution will be reflected in tomorrow's meeting in Tripoli, as well as in November at the international conference on Libya in Paris."
For its part, Greece declares its intentions through actions, noted Mr. Mitsotakis. "It strengthens its defence and signs agreements with respect to international law," the prime minister noted. Kyriakos Mitsotakis also referred to the refugee issue, saying that the three countries are coordinating on this issue: "Greece continues to save lives from the nets of traffickers. It is worth noting the silent contribution of Egypt. If with the Cypriot brothers we belong to the same nation, with our Egyptian friends we belong to the same community. From the ancient colony of Naukratida to the modern ones of Alexandria and Cairo, the Greeks were always present and in Greece today many Egyptians live and prosper.
Abdel Fattah al-Sisi: Strengthen our cooperation in the field of energy
"It is a pleasure to be here today at the friendly Hellenic Republic and I want to thank you for the hospitality and the excellent organization," Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on his part, starting his own statements. "The trilateral cooperation is a very important forum for the development of cooperation in economy, defence but also for the exchange of views on the great challenges we face in our region", he noted and added that: "our cooperation also touches on the unprecedented problem of the coronavirus".
"Our intention is to strengthen our cooperation in the field of energy and I stress the importance of signing today the memorandum of cooperation of the trilateral electricity interconnection," the Egyptian president continued. "We see this as a prelude to the more general electricity interconnection with Europe. Our big plan is the establishment of the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum for the exploitation of hydrocarbon deposits of all countries with respect to international law.
Referring then to the Cyprus issue, Mr. Sisi stressed that "We support a just solution of the Cyprus problem on the basis of international law and UN resolutions. We also support the holding of free elections in Libya and the removal of all foreign troops. We also discussed the Palestinian issue in the light of the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict last May. We also discussed the issue of Syria in support of the efforts made by the UN representative, we continue to support the preservation of Syria's territorial integrity. We are in favour of maintaining stability in Lebanon. We also discussed the issue of terrorism, but also illegal immigration." Concluding his statements, Egypt's president said: "We have presented Egypt's approach to human rights, but also the conditions under which every human being will feel safe. I would like to thank you for the efforts you are making to strengthen the trilateral cooperation and I look forward to hosting you the 10th Summit of the Trilateral Cooperation between Greece, Cyprus and Egypt".
The Memoranda of Understanding
In the presence of the three leaders, a Memorandum of Understanding is signed by the competent Energy Ministers for the interconnection of the electricity networks of the three countries, as well as for the cooperation on expatriate issues. It is recalled that a few days ago Costas Skrekas and his Egyptian counterpart Mohamed Shaker signed a Memorandum on the electricity interconnection of Egypt greece, an agreement of great geopolitical and energy importance, which confirms the strategic relationship between Athens and Cairo. This is the first interconnection of Europe with Africa, a project that will pass through the demarcated Greek-Egyptian EEZ and can transport cheap "green" electricity through Greece via Greece, turning Greece into a hub of "green" electricity.
The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on electricity interconnection comes at a time when the debate on europe's supply chain and energy security is at the top of the debate in Brussels, while the issue will also be addressed at the forthcoming European Council meeting. In parallel with the work of the tripartite Summit, a Business Forum will be held at the Hilton With the participation of entrepreneurs from the energy and shipping sectors, with the aim of boosting the development of partnerships in the specific sectors of the economies of the three countries.
See the Joint Declaration between the three countries:
We, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic, Nicos Anastasiades, President of the Republic of Cyprus and Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, met in Athens, Greece, on October 19, 2021, within the framework of the 9th Trilateral Summit on Cooperation and Coordination between our three countries. We reviewed the project in our various fields of cooperation and noted that significant progress has been made.
Encouraged by the positive results so far and deeply convinced of the strategic importance of trilateral cooperation between our countries, we expressed our strong determination to continue working closely on issues of mutual interest, strengthening peace, security and stability in our region. In this context, we reiterated our support to the Permanent Secretariat for the tripartite mechanism of Cyprus, Egypt and Greece based in Nicosia, in a way that maintains the uniqueness of relations between the three countries.
We welcomed the signing of the agreement on the creation of a tripartite electricity interconnection between the Egyptian, Cypriot and Greek networks. This plan strengthens our economic cooperation and the security of energy supply, not only of the countries involved, but also of Europe, as it will create a channel for the transport of significant quantities of electricity to and from the Eastern Mediterranean. The electricity interconnection project, which connects the electricity networks of our countries, is an important component of the strategy to accelerate the development of the Eastern Mediterranean Energy Corridor, providing an alternative source of energy supply from the region to the European continent and vice versa.
We have expressed our desire to continue to strengthen our cooperation through a series of agreements on the exploration and transport of natural gas; we remain convinced that the discovery of hydrocarbon reserves can act as a catalyst for regional stability and prosperity. In this regard, we welcomed once again the adoption of the statutes of the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF). The establishment of the EMGF is based on the fundamental principle of respect for members' rights over their natural resources, in accordance with international law; the EMGF will support the efforts of members to unfold the full potential of natural gas resources in the region and to generate revenues from their reserves in accordance with international law of the sea and in particular UNCLOS. We reiterated that the EMGF as a regional organisation based in Cairo is open to all countries that profess the same values and objectives of the EMGF and the willingness to cooperate for the security of the entire region and the well-being of its peoples.
We underlined the importance of respecting the sovereignty and sovereign rights of all states in their maritime zones in accordance with international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). In this context, we rejected the illegal drilling and seismic surveys by Turkish vessels in the Cyprus EEZ/continental shelf, in sea areas that have already been demarcated in accordance with international law. We also reiterated our condemnation for the continuous violations of Greek national airspace and territorial waters in the Aegean Sea and all other illegal activities in areas located within the continental shelf of Greece, in violation of international law. We have therefore asked Turkey to refrain, consistently and honestly, from provocations and unilateral actions that violate international law, including the harassment of research vessels validly licensed by Greece or Cyprus, thus contributing to the creation of conditions favourable to dialogue. We have stressed that a productive, result-oriented dialogue cannot take place in an aggressive environment or under the threat of the use of force.
We discussed the Cyprus issue and reaffirmed our strong support for a just, comprehensive and viable settlement in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions that require a bi-zonal, bicommunal federation with a single sovereignty, a single international personality and a single citizenship, as well as in accordance with the acquis, the values and principles of the EU. With regard to Varosha, we mentioned the Presidential Declaration of the Security Council of 23 July 2021, which reaffirmed the status of Varosha, as defined in previous UN Security Council resolutions, including resolutions 550 (1984) and 789 (1992), condemned the announcement in Cyprus, on 20 July 2021, by Turkish and Turkish-Cypriot leaders regarding the further opening of part of the barbed-wire fenced area of Varosha, called for the immediate reversal of the course of these actions and the reversal of all steps taken in Varosha from October 2020 and underlined the importance of full respect and implementation of its Decisions, including the transfer of Varosha under the UN administration. United Nations with the mandate to activate with all involved in order to restart the negotiation process. We also stressed that an agreed, comprehensive and viable solution to the Cyprus problem will not only benefit Cyprus, the Greek-Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots, but will also contribute decisively to peace and stability in the wider region.
Regarding the Great Ethiopian Barrier of the Renaissance (GERD), we recognized the unique character of Egypt as one of the driest countries in the world, which depends almost exclusively on the Nile River. In this regard, we recognised the existential threat that the GERD could pose to Egypt if it is paid and operated unilaterally, and we encourage Ethiopia to negotiate in good faith to conclude in a timely manner a legally binding agreement on the rules and guidelines for filling and operating the GERD, in accordance with the United Nations Presidential Declaration of 15 September 2021 and the 2015 Agreement on the Declaration of Principles. We reiterated that previous agreements and the applicable principles of international law should be respected, in particular the principles of prior notification and consultation, in order to verify that projects planned on international waterways are implemented in a reasonable and equitable manner, which does not cause substantial harm. These principles should remain the basis for achieving a fair and balanced agreement that respects the interests of the three countries.
We exchanged views on the political developments in our region and beyond, on issues that directly affect us:
Regarding the recent developments in the Middle East, we reiterated that the only viable solution to the Syrian crisis is political. In this context, we reaffirmed our call for a nationwide ceasefire to be implemented in Syria, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254 (2015). We expressed our full support for the efforts of the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Syria, Mr. Pedersen, and we hope that the Constitutional Committee will soon produce tangible results.
We also reiterated our support for a comprehensive, just and lasting solution as a product of negotiation in the Israel-Palestine conflict, on the basis of the relevant UN Resolutions, agreed parameters and international law. We continue to support the establishment of an independent and viable Palestinian state, with secure and recognised borders, in the pre-1967 alignment, with East Jerusalem as the capital, while, at the same time, recognising Israel's right to exist in peace and security. We believe that both sides and the International Community should work towards the revival of the Peace Process and we stand ready to support all efforts to relaunch effective, results-oriented peace talks.
On Libya, while recognising the progress made in the political process so far, we reiterated the importance of maintaining the timetable agreed in the Roadmap for holding free and fair elections on 24 December 2021, without foreign interference. Respect for the ceasefire and the arms embargo, as well as the withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries, are essential for peace and stability in the country. We commended the pivotal role of the 5+5 Joint Military Committee, through which many tangible positive steps have been taken, particularly the opening of the Coastal Route and the exchange of prisoners on both sides. Overall, we recognised that many challenges remain and must be addressed if the process is to lead to the unification of the country and its institutions.
In addition, we recalled that the Memorandum of Understanding on the Delimitation of Areas of Maritime Jurisdiction in the Mediterranean and the Memorandum of Understanding for Military and Security Cooperation signed in November 2019 between Turkey and Fayez El Saraj respectively violate international law and the UN arms embargo on Libya, and that both undermine regional stability; in addition, the Memorandum of Understanding on the delimitation of areas of maritime jurisdiction in the Mediterranean violates the sovereign rights of third states, does not comply with the Law of the Sea and cannot produce legal effects.
With regard to Afghanistan, we expressed our deep concern about the situation in the country and the dangers it poses both to itself and to the wider region. Greece, Cyprus and Egypt will remain in coordination and explore ways to address together, as with other partners, the pressing challenges facing the international community, in particular for stabilising the situation in Afghanistan, fighting terrorism, the migration/refugee crisis and delivering humanitarian aid to those in need. In this context, Greece and Cyprus stressed that the evacuation of Afghans at risk due to political persecution remains a priority for the EU and its member states.
Common challenges and developments in the Mediterranean and the wider region require a strategic partnership between Egypt and the EU. We are committed to extending EU-Egypt cooperation to key policy areas based on the Joint Communication and the Council Conclusions on a renewed partnership with the Southern Neighbourhood – a new agenda for the Mediterranean. The priorities of the new Partnership must contribute to meeting the expectations of the people on both sides of the Mediterranean. It should include inclusive and sustainable development, social justice, decent employment opportunities, economic growth and substantially improved living conditions, thereby consolidating the stability and prosperity of Egypt, the EU and our common neighbourhood. In this spirit, the convening of the EU-Egypt Association Council by the end of this year would be a strong and tangible signal of increased EU engagement and partnership with Egypt.
On human rights issues, we exchanged views on various developments relating to the promotion and protection of human rights, including basic freedoms. We welcomed the launch of the first National Strategy on Human Rights in Egypt, which is seen as an important step in this context. Greece, Cyprus and Egypt reiterated their belief that these issues should be dealt with in an objective, impartial and non-selective manner, in accordance with the relevant international law and standards.
Greece, Cyprus and Egypt are at the crossroads of three continents and are therefore severely affected by irregular migration flows. We therefore underlined the need for coordinated action in this area, in accordance with international law and the relevant humanitarian provisions, noting in particular that smuggling and smuggling networks have demonstrated their resilience to finding alternative routes. We also stressed that the instrumentalisation of migration for geopolitical purposes is inhumane and violates human rights. While we are determined to combat irregular migration, we have recognised the value of establishing legal immigration routes.
We agreed that climate change should be a key element of our cooperation agenda and confirmed that we remain strongly committed to the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We recognized that the Mediterranean has one of the richest marine and coastal ecosystems, but also one of the most vulnerable. Its rapid deterioration requires rapid, joint and tangible responses, as well as further regional cooperation involving all relevant actors in the protection of the common environment. We welcomed Egypt's successful hosting of the 2nd Ministerial Meeting of the Mediterranean Union (UFM) on the environment on October 4, 2021 and look forward to the 27th UN Climate Change Summit (COP27) to be held in Egypt next year. In the same context, we expressed our support for the Initiative of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus for the coordination of actions on climate change in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East. We further expressed our support for Greece's initiative to protect Cultural Monuments from the consequences of climate change.
Regarding the effects of the pandemic, we agreed on the need for continuous coordinated action to combat COVID-19, in order to shield our people. We recognised that such challenges know no national boundaries, so international cooperation remains essential, through the strengthening and reform of the WHO, and the strengthening of international health regulations (IHR).
Recognizing the strong bonds of friendship between our peoples and the increasing cooperation between the communities of Greece, Cyprus and Egypt around the world, we welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the cooperation on Diaspora issues aiming at promoting our common values and our collective interests abroad.
Looking forward to further strengthening our trilateral cooperation and expecting tangible results in all areas of common interest and understanding, we agreed that the next Trilateral Summit will take place in Egypt, in the second half of 2022.
