The foreign ministers of Egypt, Greece and Cyprus agreed on Friday to strengthen co-operation in areas ranging from education and tourism to defence, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said.
Minister Badr Abdelatty met with his Greek and Cypriot counterparts, George Gerapetritis and Constantinos Kombos, on the sidelines of the high-level segment of the UN General Assembly in New York.
Abdelatty said the trilateral co-operation mechanism had gained significant momentum and could serve as a model for regional integration, calling for regular meetings and follow-up on agreements reached by the three countries.
The ministers agreed to develop joint projects aimed at bringing their populations closer together, including cultural events, scholarships, student summer camps and joint tourism programmes.
They also discussed training programmes for technical workers and legal arrangements to facilitate their employment, measures Egypt said could help indirectly regulate migration routes.
The ministers stressed the importance of continued military, defence and economic co-operation.
They also exchanged views on regional developments, including the Palestinian issue and the situation in the eastern Mediterranean, calling for de-escalation, political solutions, and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.
The three sides agreed to maintain close consultations and co-ordination to advance their shared interests and contribute to security, stability and prosperity in the eastern Mediterranean.
