Newsroom
President Nikos Christodoulides welcomed Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to Cyprus on Wednesday for a one-day official visit, marking a renewed commitment to strengthening ties between the two neighboring countries.
President Aoun was received at the Presidential Palace with full honors, including a military guard of salute and the national anthems of both countries. He later laid a wreath at the statue of Archbishop Makarios III.
The two leaders then held a private meeting, followed by extended talks between their official delegations.
“I’m pleased to have you here,” President Christodoulides said in his welcoming remarks, recalling their past meetings in Beirut and Paris. “We have excellent relations and work closely together. There is clear political will to deepen our cooperation in areas like defense, security, energy, migration, trade, and tourism.”
Christodoulides also noted that Cyprus will assume the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2026.
“We will do our utmost to highlight the importance of Lebanon and the wider region to the EU,” he said, adding that he would be happy to host President Aoun in April 2026 during an informal summit of regional and EU leaders.
He also reiterated Cyprus’s clear position on respecting Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In his remarks, President Aoun thanked Cyprus for its ongoing support, noting the two nations’ geographic proximity and shared interests.
“Cyprus has always stood by Lebanon,” he said. “We rely on this friendship, not just now, but also as Cyprus takes on the EU Council presidency.”
Following the official meetings, the two presidents toured a section of the Green Line in Nicosia, the UN-controlled buffer zone that divides the capital. The visit offered President Aoun a closer look at Cyprus’s decades-long division and the realities on the ground.
The visit wrapped up with broader discussions between the two delegations, underscoring the commitment from both sides to deepen regional cooperation.
