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The President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, have expressed their mutual commitment to enhancing bilateral relations during the Emir's first official visit to Cyprus.
The Emir arrived at the Presidential Palace at 11:20 a.m., accompanied by several Qatari ministers. He was greeted by President Christodoulides, with military honors and the national anthems of both countries played. This was followed by a private meeting between the two leaders.
President Christodoulides welcomed the Emir, stating, "This is your first visit to Cyprus. We are in the same region and have excellent relations, but there are many prospects for further strengthening our bilateral relations and our cooperation in the region. At the same time, you can consider Cyprus, an EU member state, as your Ambassador in Brussels, and I look forward to our consultations to strengthen our relations even more."
"There is sincere political will from the Republic of Cyprus to work with you in the areas of economy, investment, and tourism. We can learn a lot from your success story, and I want to praise your role in the developments in Qatar. I am very happy to host you in Cyprus, six months after my own visit to Doha," he added.
The Emir thanked President Christodoulides for his invitation, saying, "We indeed have excellent relations with great prospects, especially in the fields of economy and investment. Last night, during the private dinner, we had the opportunity to discuss various issues, and I look forward to the talks we will have later."
Addressing the situation in Gaza, the Emir expressed concern over developments in Rafah and emphasized the need for a ceasefire, highlighting Qatar's efforts to free hostages.
Following their private meeting, the leaders held extended talks with their respective delegations. Discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations, particularly in the economy and investment sectors, developments in the Cyprus problem, the Middle East situation, and the Republic of Cyprus' "Amalthea" initiative for providing humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Cypriot participants included Finance Minister Makis Keravnos, Energy, Trade, and Industry Minister George Papanastasiou, Transport, Communications, and Works Minister Alexis Vafeadis, Deputy Minister of European Affairs Marilena Raouna, Deputy Minister to the President Irene Piki, Deputy Minister of Culture Vassiliki Kassianidou, Foreign Affairs Director General Andreas Kakouris, Cypriot Ambassador to Qatar Nikolas Manolis, Diplomatic Office Director Doros Venezis, Deputy Government Spokesman Yiannis Antoniou, and other officials.
The talks will be followed by a lunch hosted by President Christodoulides in honor of the Emir, who will then depart from Cyprus.
