The invitation of Cyprus to the Middle East Summit on Saturday in Cairo proves the recognition of the role the island can play in the region, the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulidis, said on Thursday.

In his statements to the press, attending a conference organized by the Deputy Ministry of Tourism held at the “Filoxenia” Conference Center in Nicosia, the President was asked about his participation in the Summit convened by the President of Egypt next Saturday on the situation in the Middle East.

As he said, the mere fact that Cyprus was chosen among the countries that will be invited to such an important meeting also proves the recognition of the role that the Republic can play. Cyprus is the state of the region that maintains excellent relations with all the neighboring states and is a member state of the EU.

He noted that this is what he conveyed to the recent European Council, the role Cyprus can play, beyond the humanitarian aspect.

President Christodoulidis said that for the first time there are so many requests from countries to remove nationals using Cyprus, but more importantly, the main issue at the moment is how this crisis can be dealt with. A crisis with consequences for all of us if extended, if it continues.

British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, had a telephone conversation with the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulidis, on Wednesday night regarding the developments in the Middle East.

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According to a Downing Street spokesman, Mr. Sunak thanked the Cypriot President for the vital Cypriot support for the repatriation of British nationals from Israel.

Discussing the situation in Gaza and Israel, the two leaders referred to the horrific terrorist attacks by Hamas, the importance of avoiding escalation and protecting innocent civilians.

Mr. Sunak informed his interlocutor of the communications he had with other regional leaders and said that he hoped a solution could be found that would bring lasting peace for innocent civilians on both sides.

Christodoulidis and Sounak also discussed the close bilateral relationship between Cyprus and Britain, agreeing that it is a special relationship built on historical ties and enduring friendships.

They concluded by stating that they look forward to further communication shortly.

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