The Arab Republic of Egypt hosted on Wednesday the sixth trilateral meeting of the Defence Ministers of Egypt, Greece and Cyprus, as part of ongoing efforts to deepen strategic partnerships and strengthen coordination with brotherly and friendly nations.
The meeting opened with remarks by Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and Minister of Defence and Military Production, Lieutenant General Ashraf Salem Zaher, who expressed his pride in the enduring ties between the peoples and governments of Egypt, Greece and Cyprus.
He reaffirmed the three countries’ commitment to consolidating security and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean, stressing the importance of continued coordination and building on the outcomes of the trilateral co-operation mechanism to advance their mutual interests.
Minister of National Defence of the Hellenic Republic, Nikolaos Dendias, expressed his appreciation for the Egyptian Armed Forces and recognised their significant military and strategic role in the Middle East.
He underlined the importance of the meeting in shaping a stronger future for the armed forces of the three countries and advancing joint military co-operation in accordance with international charters and laws.
Minister of Defence of the Republic of Cyprus, Vasilis Palmas, described the meeting as an extension of the trilateral summit that brought together the political leaderships of the three countries in El Alamein earlier this month.
He stressed the need for enhanced coordination in light of the rapidly evolving challenges and developments affecting the region.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the three sides signed a joint final statement reaffirming their efforts to strengthen defence and security co-operation, address regional challenges, and support peace and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.
On the sidelines, Minister Zaher held separate bilateral meetings with Greek, Cypriot counterparts.
Discussions covered issues of mutual interest, the strengthening of military relations across various fields, enhanced cooperation and the exchange of expertise.
Chief-of-Staff of the Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Ahmed Khalifa, senior commanders from the Egyptian, Greek and Cypriot armed forces, and the ambassadors of Greece and Cyprus to Cairo attended the meetings.
