President Nikos Christodoulides on Friday called on the European Union to show more solidarity with Gulf states amid an escalating conflict between Yemen’s Saudi-backed government and its Iranian-backed Houthi movement, which has seen missiles and drones fall in neighbouring countries.
A summit of the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council, which had been due to take place next week, was rescheduled in light of that conflict, with Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, the planned host, having been repeatedly struck by missiles in recent weeks.
Christodoulides said he believes this was the wrong decision, saying that “I am strongly convinced that just as we are rightly acting in the case of Ukraine by visiting the country during difficult times, when Russian missiles and drones are striking Ukraine, we should do the same with regard to the countries of [the Middle East]”.
“As the Republic of Cyprus, we hold this clear approach. I will also raise this during the discussion we are having today … and it is for this reason that recently, just a few days ago if my memory serves me correctly, that Cyprus’ energy minister was the only European minister to attend a meeting on energy issues in Saudi Arabia,” he said.
Cyprus Energy Minister Michael Damianos spent three days in Saudi Arabia earlier this week, and was unable to fly directly back to the island after Riyadh’s airport was the target of missile fire. Instead, he travelled by road to Qatar, before flying back to Cyprus from there.
EU ‘must be present’ during ‘difficult times’ in Middle East
Christodoulides said of this that “as the European Union … during these difficult times for the countries in the region, we must be present”.
“I do not view the postponement of the meeting as a positive development. We must now look at how we can engage with these countries on a bilateral level, to demonstrate, in a practical way, our solidarity and support, especially during difficult times,” he said.
Christodoulides has long been an advocate for the EU deepening its relations with the Middle East, saying in April that “now is the time” to do so.
“The Middle East and [the] Gulf is Europe’s neighbourhood. Our security is inextricably linked. Partners stand by each other at the most challenging of times. Now is the time to take decisive steps to elevate further, across the board, EU relations with the Middle East and the Gulf,” he said.