Newsroom
Foreign Minister Konstantinos Kombos said on Friday that Cyprus remains committed to delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza, expressing hope that concrete announcements will be made in the coming days through the island's Amalthea initiative.
Speaking after a meeting in Nicosia with Austria’s Federal Minister for European and International Affairs, Beate Meinl-Reisinger, Kombos revealed that 1,200 tons of aid are sitting in Cyprus, ready to be shipped via Israel.
“Preparations have been in place, but recent developments put things on hold,” Kombos said, referring to ongoing regional tensions. “We hope things will move forward soon.”
Both ministers called the humanitarian situation in Gaza "unacceptable" and stressed the urgent need for a ceasefire and a long-term political solution. They also agreed that the European Union must play a more active role in efforts to end the conflict.
The meeting also touched on the recent 12-day Iran-Israel war, with both sides expressing hope that the current truce will hold.
On a bilateral level, the two ministers described Cyprus-Austria relations as excellent, with room to deepen cooperation. Meinl-Reisinger voiced Austria’s support for the priorities of the upcoming Cyprus Presidency of the EU, particularly its focus on regional engagement.
On the Cyprus problem, the Austrian minister reiterated her country’s firm backing for a bizonal, bicommunal federation as the only viable solution.
The two also discussed migration management, with Meinl-Reisinger acknowledging progress by Cypriot authorities in handling the issue.
The Amalthea project, which positions Cyprus as a key humanitarian hub for the region, continues to be one of the island’s most significant diplomatic efforts amid the ongoing Middle East crisis.
