The President of the Republic, Mr. Nikos Christodoulides, and the Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Mr. Youssef Raji, referred today to the close relations between Cyprus and Lebanon, during a meeting at the Presidential Palace, with Mr. Raji expressing his heartfelt gratitude for the assistance provided by Cyprus to his country, as well as by President Christodoulides personally.

Welcoming the Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, the President of the Republic said, among other things, that Mr. Raji’s acceptance of the invitation to address the heads of the Republic’s diplomatic missions at their conference “is a clear indication of the importance we attach to Lebanon.”

He added that Lebanon’s territorial integrity and sovereignty are a priority for Cyprus, just as they are for Lebanon.

He also referred to the close, friendly relations he maintains with the country’s President, noting their frequent telephone conversations to coordinate actions aimed at strengthening bilateral relations, for which, as the President of the Republic said, there is the political will to further strengthen them.

He added that “within the framework of our membership in the EU, we remain committed to—and will succeed in—initiating negotiations for a comprehensive strategic agreement between the EU and Lebanon, just as we did with our initiative for Jordan and Egypt.

I have spoken with the President of the Commission several times, I have sent her a letter regarding the need to move forward as soon as possible, and in fact, when I visited Lebanon together with the President of the Commission in 2024—it was the first time a President of the European Commission had visited Lebanon.”

He noted that “Cyprus, within the EU, will do everything in its power to strengthen relations between the EU and Lebanon.”

For his part, the Lebanese Foreign Minister said, among other things, that he was conveying the warm regards of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who considers President Christodoulides “a very good, close friend.”

He added, “We thank you personally and the Republic of Cyprus for everything you are doing for us. We know what you are doing for us.”

Referring to Cyprus’s Presidency of the Council of the EU, the Minister offered his congratulations, noting that “you have left your personal mark and exerted your considerable influence, and this has been to the benefit of Europe and the Mediterranean. We thank you very much for what you are doing for us as Cyprus and, through you, as the EU.”