President Anastasiades said the trilateral meeting is “a tangible proof of our determination to upgrade and deepen even further our relations”, while President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said that the visit boosts relations and common cooperation and expressed the conviction that it will continue for stability in the region.

Ministers from both sides signed memoranda of cooperation in the field of Business and Digital Economy, for Pharmaceuticals and Pharmaceutical Industries and an Executive Programme on Police cooperation issues. President Anastasiades said: “The memoranda signed today, pave the way for closer cooperation in the private field and also the authorities of the two countries.” He further announced their decision to establish a mechanism for regular annual meetings of our Governments to monitor the implementation of what is being planned and taking new joint actions for the benefit of the wider region”.

They two Presidents also agreed that further enhancing cooperation, especially in the fields of energy, defence and security issues, will contribute substantially to strengthening regional security and stability.

On the issue of energy, President Anastasiades said that they agreed that the discovery of important hydrocarbon reserves in the region provides a unique opportunity to further enhance the relations of the two countries and taking common actions to help achieve the utmost for the benefit of the peoples of Egypt and Cyprus. He also emphasized that: “Our vision is that the discovery of hydrocarbon reserves in our region will act as a catalyst for broader cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean, contributing to peace, stability and prosperity in our region,” assuring that Cyprus will continue to support enhancing Egypt’s relations with the EU, since Egypt is an important and strategic partner for the EU in issues of security, combatting terrorism, stability in the region, energy and immigration.

Europe can take advantage of the proximity of both Egypt and Cyprus to the continent in that energy search, President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said, emphasizing the fact that newly discovered gas deposits in the eastern Mediterranean can offer Europe the alternative sources of energy it has been searching for.

“Our vision is that the discovery of hydrocarbon deposits in the wider region becomes a catalyst for wider cooperation in the eastern Mediterranean, contributing to regional peace, stability and prosperity,” said President Nicos Anastasiades.

President Sisi underlined “the position of Egypt that supports the right of Cyprus to exploit its natural wealth within its boundaries through the framework of international law and the agreements it has signed with, inter alia, with Egypt” further adding that his talk with Anastasiades has shown the identity of views on the issues they discussed, which helps to strengthen cooperation and achieve peace and stability in the region.

Due to the historical, close relations between Cyprus and Egypt, as well as Sisi’s decisive contribution to further deepen and strengthen relations in all areas, President Anastasiades bestowed upon the Egyptian President the medal of The Order ofMakarios III, the highest order of merit awarded by Cyprus, named after the first President of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios III.

President Sisi, bestowed upon the Cypriot President the Order of the Nile, Egypt`s highest state honour, saying that the Order of the Nile, symbolizes the prosperity offered by the Nile, which connects the two parts of Egypt and also symbolizes the friendship between the two peoples.

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