Foreign Minister starts two-day Israel visit

Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides is in Israel for a crucial two-day working visit to touch base with the new Israeli government to discuss energy and regional politics.

Christodoulides will hold consultations with his Israeli counterpart in their first meeting since Yair Lapid took office under a new Israeli government last month.

On Monday, they are holding extended consultations with their official delegations to discuss strengthening bilateral relations.

Issues related to regional cooperation and dialogue will also be discussed, and views will be exchanged, inter alia, on the Eastern Mediterranean and EU-Israel relations.

Christodoulides will also brief on the latest developments in the Cyprus problem in light of Turkey’s threat to reopen fenced-off Varosha.

He will also meet the new Israeli Minister of Energy, Karine Elharrar, to exchange views on cooperation between the two countries in energy and the exploitation of natural resources and the prospects for further enhancement of regional cooperation.

During his stay in Israel, Christodoulides will be received in separate meetings by the President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, and the Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett.

Nicosia and Tel-Aviv have built a strong regional alliance based on shared energy exploration in the region.

This relationship blossomed under the previous Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Working visit of FM @Christodulides to #Israel gets under way with warm welcome extended by FM of #Israel @yairlapid at @IsraelMFA. Deliberations #now under way. #Bilateral rel's, #regional developments & cooperation, #Cyprob, #EastMed, #EU-Israel rel's, i.a. on rich agenda.
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— Cyprus MFA (@CyprusMFA) July 26, 2021