“President Christodoulides, Nikos,
Prime Minister Mitsotakis, Kyriakos,
This is not our first meeting. It’s our tenth meeting. But I said in our discussions that I think it’s the most consequential.
The last time the three of us met was a short time before the October 7th massacre, before terror once again reminded us that stability in this region is never guaranteed, and that strength, clarity and cooperation are not options. They are a must.
The Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean are being tested by aggression, terrorism and instability.
Our partnership provides strength, clarity and cooperation that will prevail over chaos.
It also offers new opportunities for prosperity.
We are cooperating, and discussed in detail cooperation, in many fields: energy, technology, connectivity and also security, that guarantees this all.
We will advance IMEC, the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor. This is an idea that has been brought forward before, but we think we have to put it into reality. It’s a maritime, rail, pipeline, energy pipeline and cable connectivity between Asia and Europe going through Israel, Cyprus and Greece.
As part of this effort, we are advancing the great sea connector that will enable electric energy cooperation between our three countries and Europe, and the Arabian Peninsula, and ultimately you can connect it to Asia as well. So, this is a big thing, and in many ways, it’s the skeleton of the IMEC corridor. We discussed practically how to move this forward, and we intend to advance it. I’ll also discuss it in my upcoming meeting with President Trump in the United States.
We agreed to deepen cooperation in artificial intelligence, in cybersecurity, advanced research.
Israel is already a global technology leader, and together with Greece and Cyprus, we will shape the region’s future in cutting-edge new technologies.
I want to tell you that a lot is going on right now. Israeli companies, hi-tech companies are flocking to Cyprus and to Greece. It basically says that they believe in the economic management. We’re not jealous. We believe in competition.
There are, what? 137 flights a week? 186 flights a week between Israel and Cyprus. It’s unbelievable. Just compute that. How many flights a day?
I don’t know of many Israeli investors who have not visited Greece or who are not investing in Greece. Increasing amounts are growing there, and again, I think this is a sign of the dynamism of our economies, Israel‘s economy which has been rated third by The Economist as the most vibrant economy in the planet, third most vibrant economy in the planet. I think we were shortchanged, but that’s alright. But I believe that there is dynamism here, there is at once great opportunity but also great challenges, and we recognize them.
We affirmed our commitment to expanding the Abraham Accords, to widening the circle of cooperation between Israel and the Arab world.
We also expressed support for Lebanon’s sovereignty and for a future in which legitimate state institutions hold authority and military power, and not terrorist militias.
We agreed today to deepen our security and defense cooperation.
The threats we face are real.
Together, we are defending not only our own nations, but vital sea lanes and critical infrastructure that the global economy depends on.
I cannot skip the opportunity to call for the immediate return of Rani Gvili, the Israeli hostage that is still held by Hamas. This is contrary to the laws of war, and this is something that has to be completed.
But we are, in general, fighting a battle for an orderly future of states that want to seize the future, against those forces who want to drag us back to a dark medieval past that has nothing to do with modernity, and nothing to do with progress.
Israel, Greece and Cyprus are three ancient countries with ancient peoples.
Jerusalem and Athens are the foundations of Western civilization, and in Cyprus both cultures flourished.
You have to go to the Western Wall in Jerusalem; or you go to the Acropolis in Athens; or you go to the incredible historic museum in Nicosia, which I did, and you see the glory of our past.
All three of us are very proud of our history in our ancestral homelands as we seize the future.
Now it is true that all of our countries were conquered in the past by a succession of empires.
But through courage and sacrifice, we achieved our independence in modern times.
Greece -195 years ago; Israel – 78 years ago; Cyprus – 65 years ago.
To those who fantasize they can reestablish their empires and their dominion over our lands, I say: Forget it. It’s not going to happen. Don’t even think about it.
We are committed and able to defend ourselves and our cooperation further enhances that capability.
Together, we three genuine democracies in the Eastern Mediterranean shall advance security, prosperity and liberty.
With God’s help, we will bring a brighter and safer future to our nations and to the entire region.
Together, we bring stability through strength, prosperity through strength, and most important, peace through strength.
I wish you all Happy Holidays.
Thank you”.
Video: GPO