The common will of the nine Mediterranean EU member states to face the challenges together was expressed today by their leaders at the EUMED9 Summit held in Alicante, Spain, at the invitation of Prime Minister Petro Sanchez and attended by President Nicos Anastasiades.
The leaders also expressed satisfaction with the convergence of views on the security of supply and the reduction of the price of natural gas.
After the Summit, President Anastasiades, in joint statements with the rest of the EUMED9 leaders, said that "before anything else, I would like to thank my friend Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sanchez, for his excellent hospitality and the excellent organisation of the Summit.
Our Summit today, on a now institutionalised basis, has provided us with another opportunity for an exchange of views and the need for common ground in addressing a number of critical issues, such as Europe's energy security and supply, open strategic autonomy, but also the wider instability in the region, as well as climate change.
Indicative of the consensus that prevailed at the Summit is the adoption of the Alicante Declaration, the content of which sets the political tone for the nine countries.
I do not intend to repeat what the Prime Minister of Spain said briefly about our agenda today, but I would like to highlight a few points:
At a time when multilateralism is suffering, it is essential to strengthen cooperation between us in order to make the Mediterranean an area of peace, dialogue and stability. This effort is a reference point in the context of the Conference on the Future of Europe.
As expected, the issue of the European Union's energy security and supply was at the centre of our discussions.
It was common ground that no single state, without exception, is in a position to cope on its own with this major challenge of either pandemic or, in particular, the challenges posed by Russia's war and invasion of Ukraine.
To this end, our actions should focus on - but also aim at - strengthening the open strategic autonomy of the European Union, while reducing its energy dependencies on unreliable sources.
In order to achieve the above objective, I have once again underlined that the Eastern Mediterranean can be an alternative energy corridor for the Union.
Cyprus, building on the partnerships it has developed with Egypt, Israel and Greece, is focusing on the creation of a sustainable regional gas market, supplying the European Union with sufficient quantities in the near future, and in the medium and long term with renewable energy sources and hydrogen.
For the successful implementation of what I have mentioned, the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum and the creation of electricity interconnection networks, with the implementation of important projects such as the EuroAsia and EuroAfrica Interconnector, play an important role.
We consider positive and welcome the latest proposal of the European Commission which will contribute to the debate on a clearer basis.
Our objective is to adjust the existing fiscal rules in order to ensure a smooth and realistic reduction of public debt, without jeopardising the necessary investments for the growth of our economies and to support the green and digital transition in the coming years.
Our objective is to adjust the existing fiscal rules in order to ensure a smooth and realistic reduction of public debt, without jeopardising the necessary investments for the growth of our economies and to support the green and digital transition in the coming years.
As this is the last Summit of the Mediterranean countries, this forum which will also make an important contribution to the debate on the new European course, I would like to express my deepest appreciation for the attitude of the authorities of the eight Mediterranean Member States with regard, among other things, to the resolution of a chronic problem that my country is facing, the end of the occupation that Cyprus has been suffering for 48 years as a result of the illegal actions of a neighbouring country. I would like to thank you for your full support for our efforts to achieve a solution based on UN resolutions, EU principles and values, which is consistent with and creates the prospects for a modern European state. Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, always on the basis of United Nations resolutions.
After two five-year terms, my term of office as President of the Republic of Cyprus will end on 1 March 2023 and, as I said before, today is the last Summit of the formation of the southern countries of the European Union in which I am participating.
Therefore, I would like once again to express my gratitude and thanks to you for the excellent cooperation between us, your support over the years, but equally importantly, for the sincere friendship we have developed between us.
Friend Pedro, colleagues, thank you once again and I look forward to seeing you in Cyprus in private."
The Prime Minister of Spain, the President of France, and the Prime Ministers of Croatia, Slovenia, Greece, Malta, Portugal and the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Italy, who represented the Prime Minister of Italy, Mrs. Giorgia Meloni, at the Summit, also made statements.
The President of France, Mr. Emmanuel Macron said, among other things, speaking through an interpreter, that there is a common will for the EUMED9 countries to move forward "on defence and technology issues, especially in the Mediterranean, which is a space they wish to keep safe and sovereign with joint actions, given that it is increasingly contested by unfriendly naval powers," and referred to the need to protect the environment in the Mediterranean Sea and to protect biodiversity.
For his part, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said, among other things, that "I want to reiterate how important is the remark of our friend President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades about the potential of the Eastern Mediterranean basin to help Europe diversify its gas supply.
Greece is moving very fast in new hydrocarbon exploration southwest of Crete, southwest of the Peloponnese, and combined with important deposits already discovered in Cyprus, Israel and Egypt, we can help to help Europe to wean itself off Russian gas possibly faster than we thought."
He added that the issue of protecting biodiversity in the Mediterranean, such as the issue of protection from plastics, should be highlighted and at the same time joint action to address extreme events as a result of climate change should be strengthened.
Prime Minister Mitsotakis added that "I would like to thank personally, not only as a European, but also as a Greek Prime Minister, my friend the President of the Republic of Cyprus, who is completing a decade of leadership of the Republic of Cyprus, and to thank all of you for standing by the rights of Cyprus, supporting the Republic of Cyprus against an unjust and illegal invasion that took place 48 years ago. The solution to the Cyprus problem can only be just and viable if it is based on the UN resolutions and rejects at its very beginning any thought, any discussion of a two-state solution, as may be promoted by some countries that believe that this is the direction to move in."
In his remarks, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, speaking through an interpreter, said "I want to express my very friendly feelings towards Nicos Anastasiades."
In his remarks, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, speaking through an interpreter, said "I want to express my very friendly feelings towards Nicos Anastasiades. Over the years we have built a very good friendship. The two of us are the co-creators of this team, which will continue to work."
Addressing President Anastasiades, Costa said "Niko, I would really like to embrace you in a spirit of friendship for your European spirit, for the always constructive way in which you act to overcome some divergent views between political families in Europe. You have never put forward your own interests more than the interests of the EU," and added that everyone particularly understands the problem that Cyprus is facing.
For his part, the Croatian Prime Minister, Mr. The Prime Minister of Croatia, Andrei Plenkovic, thanked President Anastasiades for the friendship they have developed over the past years.
Finally, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy, Antonio Tajani, addressed President Anastasiades and said "thank you very much for your contribution to Europe. I worked with you when I was President of the European Parliament, now I am working with you as Deputy Prime Minister of Italy. Thank you for your contribution for the benefit of Europe."
(PM/MG)
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