President Nikos Christodoulides has described Cyprus’s invitation to participate as an observer in the upcoming Peace Council meeting on Gaza as particularly important for the country.
Speaking on Sunday after a celebratory service for Saint Maron at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Graces in Nicosia, Christodoulides said he considers both the invitation and Cyprus’s presence at the meeting particularly significant.
He expressed particular satisfaction that the United States, through the observer status invitation, is allowing Cyprus to participate in the meeting.
Cyprus will once again highlight its plan for Gaza at the gathering, the president said, noting this was a determining factor in receiving the invitation. He recalled that when he visited Egypt, he presented a specific plan concerning three aspects of the American president’s plan.
Cyprus is the European Union member state in the region and is in contact with several Mediterranean EU state leaders, Christodoulides said, adding that the invitation and Cyprus’s presence are very important within this framework.
The country’s decisions are taken with the primary criterion of serving Cyprus’s interests, and participation in the meeting serves those interests among other things, he said.
Asked who would attend, the president said either he or the Foreign Minister would participate, adding that he is in contact with other Mediterranean government heads and a final decision would be made by Monday.
He said he knows for certain that Italy has responded positively, as have some other states, but stressed he would not officially announce other countries’ decisions.
Asked about the observer status, Christodoulides explained it relates specifically to two matters. The first concerns exclusively strengthening the effort for Gaza, he said, recalling that Cyprus had submitted a specific plan. The second relates more generally to provisions of the American president’s Peace Council, he added.
Cyprus did not participate in the Davos meeting and did not sign due to an assessment made in relation specifically to the United Nations, the president said.
The United States coming forward with an invitation specifically for observer status shows the US desire for cooperation to work together, always in relation to implementing the American president’s plan for Gaza, Christodoulides said.
Cyprus is the EU country closest to Gaza and has more interest than any other state in seeing this plan implemented, he said.
He recalled that after the terrorist attacks in October 2023, Cyprus was the first country to deploy a specific initiative for providing humanitarian aid to the civilian population in Gaza — the Amalthea initiative, which was implemented.
It was precisely within this framework that Cyprus made specific recommendations in Cairo at the conference on Gaza, again in the American president’s presence, he said.
As the Republic of Cyprus, the country has reason, role and obligation to contribute to implementing this plan, which is hoped will lead to final peace in the region, Christodoulides said.
(information from CNA)
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