Official Visit of the President of the Republic of Cyprus to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

RESTREINT UE/EU RESTRICTED FM NIC COREU TO ALL COREU NORMAL CFSP/NIC/0001/18 050118 1217Z ACRONYM COMEM COPOL SUBJECT COMEM COPOL – Official Visit of the President of the Republic of Cyprus to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia TEXT
Subject : COMEM, COPOL – Official Visit of the President of the Republic of Cyprus to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Cyprus would like to inform partners that the President of the Republic of Cyprus Mr.Nikos Anastasiades [misprint in the source: Nicos Anastasiades (27.09.1946], accompanied by Foreign Minister Kasoulides [Ioannis Kasoulides (10.08.1948)] and other ministers and senior officials, has paid on 3rd of January, 2018, an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia upon invitation by King Salman [Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (31.12.1935)].
The programme included official consultations at the level of the Heads of State and consultations between FM Kasoulides and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr.Madani [Nizar bin Obaid Madani (1941), retired 07.01.2019].

A constant theme by the Saudi side was the issue of Iranian intervention in the internal affairs of countries in the region which seeks to destabilize their security and stability and also as a source of financing terrorism. The JCPOA has allowed Iran’s funding of terrorism. Iran’s theocracy has destroyed the potential of the country to develop but instead, it is behind the problems in Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen. The recent Houthi missile attacks against Riyadh were conducted due to Iranian capabilities.
Regarding the ongoing demonstrations in Iran, the Saudis consider that the government will manage to absorb, one way or another, the shocks from the demonstrations and that regime change is not likely. Eventually though, the solution will come from within the country. The international community should stand behind the demonstrators.
Regarding the MEPP, the Saudis reiterated their conviction to the two-state solution, with East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine. They noted that resolving the Palestinian issue will be good for Israel because they are good in business and they will be able conduct business with the Arab countries.
Regarding Qatar, the Saudis consider that this is an internal GCC affair, that it is a “small” issue compared to other (Syria, Yemen, Iran etc.), and that the prolongation of the political impasse affects more negatively Qatar than it affects them.
They consider that the Qatari leadership faces a significant cost from the impasse, both financial but also in terms of growing dissatisfaction of the Qatari society from the situation. The Saudi government has more pressing issues to face so the ball is in the Qatari court to make a step towards resolving the crisis, on the basis of the known conditions of the “Arab quartet”.
There were also discussions on Turkey’s military expansion in the region, an update on the Cyprus Problem and issues of bilateral interest were also discussed.

Add-on (Cyprus-mail, January 2nd, 2018)

While in Riyadh, President Anastasiades will also meet with the Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council [Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani (15.04.1956)] and will pay an on-site visit to the facilities of Joannou & Paraskevaides (Saudi Arabia) Ltd., a Cypriot-owned company.
During his visit to Saudi Arabia, the President will be accompanied by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Defence, Transport and Energy, as well as by the Government Spokesman.

The President and the delegation return to Cyprus on Wednesday (03.01.2018) night.