Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades ended his official visit to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday with a call for intensifying cooperation between the two countries in all fields. Following is the text of a joint statement issued at the conclusion of the visit: In the context of strengthening the growing bilateral relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Cyprus, President Nicos Anastasiades of the Republic of Cyprus paid an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, March 1st, 2022. During the visit, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense and the President of the Republic of Cyprus held official talks, during which they reviewed all aspects of bilateral relations and ways to developing them, in addition to enhancing and intensifying cooperation between the two countries in all fields. They also exchanged views on the current regional and international situations of common interest. The two sides expressed their satisfaction with the level that the bilateral relations have reached, stressing the importance of developing them in all fields to serve common interests and enhance mutual benefits. The two sides also affirmed their willingness to work on developing a strategy to strengthen the distinguished relations between the two countries. The Crown Prince appreciated the support of the Republic of Cyprus for Riyadh's bid to host the World Expo 2030, during the elections scheduled for November 2023, when the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) will hold its General Assembly in Paris. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, praised the positive stances of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus towards issues of concern to the Kingdom. In the economic field, the two sides stressed the importance of raising the pace of economic cooperation by promoting and diversifying trade and investment exchange, exploring available opportunities within the framework of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 and Cyprus Vision 2035. This is in addition to intensifying communication between the private sector in the two countries, stimulating trade and investment opportunities and translating them into tangible partnerships and seeking to create a fertile and stimulating investment environment that supports a number of sectors of common interest by launching a set of joint initiatives in the fields of culture and antiquities, food and medicine, digitization, cybersecurity, and financial services. The two sides also agreed on the importance of enhancing cooperation in the fields of civil aviation, maritime transport, air transport, and ports. The two sides agreed to discuss areas of joint cooperation in the energy sector, which includes petrochemicals, energy efficiency, electricity, renewable energy, innovation, clean hydrocarbon technologies, low-carbon fuels, including hydrogen, in addition to working on localizing energy sector and associated supply chains and developing projects related to these areas, in order to contribute to the sustainability of demand for energy supplies globally. Cyprus also welcomed Saudi Arabia's launch of the Saudi Green and Middle East Green initiatives. In turn, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia welcomed the Cypriot President's Initiative for Coordinating Climate Change Actions in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME). The two sides expressed their aspiration to enhance cooperation in implementing these initiatives. With regard to climate change issues, the two sides stressed the importance of adhering to the principles of UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement and the need to develop and implement climate agreements by focusing on emissions. The two sides also stressed the importance of enhancing cooperation in the field of tourism, developing the tourism movement between the two countries, exploring the tourism potentials that each country enjoys, in addition to strengthening joint action with regard to sustainable tourism, which benefits the tourism sector and its development in the two countries. The two sides agreed on the importance of increasing the exchange of visits between officials in a way that contributes to developing the bilateral relations. They also agreed to intensify communication and cooperation between government officials and the private sector in both countries with the aim of deepening and expanding bilateral partnerships and encouraging mutual investments between them. In the field of defense and security cooperation, the two sides agreed on the importance of continuing to develop military cooperation between them in a way that meets the interests of both sides in order to achieve security and stability in the region. The two sides stressed the danger of the growing capabilities of terrorist and extremist groups targeting countries in the region. They condemned the hostile acts and destabilizing behavior of the security and stability being committed by the militias and terrorist organizations in the region, as well as the countries that stand behind and support them, stressing the importance of adhering to the principles of good neighborliness and refraining from actions that would prejudice the security and stability of the region. The two sides agreed on the danger of the terrorist organization ISIS (Daesh) to regional and global security and the importance of the role of the global coalition in combating this organization. They emphasized the need to strengthen the international partnership to combat extremism and terrorism, reiterating that this dangerous phenomenon is not linked to any race, religion or homeland, where they agreed to intensify cooperation in combating crime and international terrorism in all its forms. The two sides also praised the cooperation and coordination that has been achieved between the two countries in the security fields, expressing their willingness to enhance the cooperation to achieve security and stability for the two countries. The two sides reviewed the relationship between the European Union (EU) and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which the Republic of Cyprus considers a strong supporter for it, including the strengthening of participation in the context of the institutional framework of the EU and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), affirming the strategic advantage of this important partnership. The two sides also exchanged views on the situation in their respective regions, political issues, crises in the Middle East, and international issues of common interest. With regard to the Ukrainian crisis, the two sides stressed the importance of settling disputes by peaceful means, giving priority dialogue and diplomatic solutions, and exerting all possible efforts for de-escalation, in a way that contributes to restoring security and stability and limiting the negative repercussions of this crisis. The two sides also affirmed their full support for all efforts aimed at de-escalation and conflict resolution through dialogue and diplomacy. The two sides stressed the importance of supporting efforts aimed at reaching a comprehensive political solution to the Yemeni crisis based on the three references, represented by the Gulf initiative and its executive mechanism, the outcomes of the comprehensive national dialogue and relevant Security Council resolutions, including Resolution No. (2216). For its part, the Cypriot side expressed its condemnation of the Houthi terrorist attacks with ballistic missiles and bomb-laden drones that target the Kingdom's territories, its vital facilities and civilian objects. The two sides welcomed the Security Council Resolution No. (2624) to classify the Houthi militia as a terrorist group and expand the arms embargo to include all terrorist Houthi militia members. Saudi Arabia affirmed its principled position regarding the Cyprus issue on the importance of resolving disputes through peaceful means and dialogue in accordance with the rules of international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions. At the conclusion of the visit, the President of the Republic of Cyprus expressed his deep thanks and appreciation to the government and people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the warm welcome and generous that he and his accompanying delegation received. The President invited Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to visit the Republic of Cyprus. The Crown Prince welcomed the invitation. The Crown Prince also expressed his best wishes of health and happiness to the President and further progress and prosperity to the Cypriot people. — SPA
