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The President of the Republic,
Mr Nikos Christodoulides, participated today in the International Gaza Aid
Conference, which was held in Paris.
Around 80 countries and
international organisations participated in the conference, focusing on the
coordination of the provision of humanitarian aid to the civilian population
of Gaza.
The President of the Republic,
during his intervention, and especially during his bilateral contacts,
presented to the participants of the Conference the initiative of the
Republic of Cyprus for the creation of a sea corridor for unhindered and safe
provision of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The initiative of the Republic
of Cyprus and its specific aspects, said President Christodoulides, has been
extensively discussed over the past four weeks in the framework of his
contacts with the President of Egypt, the King of Jordan, and the Prime Minister
of Israel, as well as during the contacts of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
over his recent visits to Jordan and Ramallah and with his counterparts in
the region.
President Christodoulides added
that the Republic of Cyprus is in constant communication at all levels with
Israel, Egypt, the Palestinian Authority, the United Arab Emirates, EU member
states and the European Union Institutions, as well as with the United
Nations, whose contribution is considered decisive for the implementation and
success of the initiative.
The President of the Republic
underlined the significant support the initiative receives. The support
expressed during today’s conference by the President of France, the President
of the European Commission, the President of the European Council, the Minister
of Foreign Affairs of Belgium, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Croatia and
the Greek Prime Minister, who declared Greece’s readiness to provide maritime
means for the transfer of aid from Cyprus to Gaza, is of particular
importance. Prince Rashid of Jordan also expressed support. Moreover, in a
telephone conversation between the President of the Republic and the Dutch
Prime Minister, which took place immediately before the Conference, Mr Rutte
expressed the readiness of the Netherlands to assist the Cypriot initiative
in a specific way.
The President of the Republic,
thoroughly presented the detailed planning of the “Amaltheia” Initiative of
the Republic of Cyprus and the five stages it will comprise. The first stage
will be the transport and collection of humanitarian aid in Cyprus, the
second stage concerns the inspection, recording and storage of humanitarian
aid received in Cyprus, the third stage concerns the loading and inspection
of humanitarian aid on ships from a Cyprus port, possibly Larnaka, the fourth
stage concerns the route through a safe sea corridor and the fifth and final
stage concerns the unloading, receipt and distribution of humanitarian aid to
the civilian population of Gaza.
President Christodoulides,
referred to the planning being developed and that a specific implementation
plan for the initiative has already been prepared with immediate, mid-term
and long-term solutions and technical arrangements. President Christodoulides
mentioned that the initiative of the Republic of Cyprus is a feasible and
well-crafted proposal that can address the humanitarian crisis as it
develops. The immediate proximity of Cyprus as a state in the region, being
just 210 nautical miles away from Gaza, is suitable for the implementation of
this initiative. President Christodoulides, also emphasized that, in addition
to its proximity, Cyprus’s longstanding relations with the states of the
region and its credibility as an EU member state reinforce and shield even
more the implementation and success of the initiative.
Finally, the President of the
Republic, invited the participants of the Conference to contribute to the
implementation of the comprehensive proposal for the initiative, which aims
to save lives, just like Amaltheia, who gave life according to Greek Mythology.
President Christodoulides,
along with the efforts to provide humanitarian aid, repeated the need to
remain committed to the revival of the political horizon for a two state
solution according to the Resolutions of the Security Council of the United
Nations.
In the framework of the Summit,
the President of the Republic held bilateral meetings with the Palestinian
Prime Minister, Mohammad Ibrahim Shtayyeh, the Prince of Jordan, Rashid bin
Hassan, and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) Commissioner,
Philippe Lazzarini.
President Christodoulides
departs after the Conference for Athens, where he will attend a working
dinner in the framework of the 1st Cyprus – Greece
Intergovernmental Summit.
(ΜS/ΜTH/NG/ΜΗ)
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