Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus European Affairs Deputy Minister Marilena Raouna said the leaders of Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria have been invited to attend next week’s European Council summit in Cyprus. She said the participants who accept the invitation will be announced on Monday.
Invitations and expected participants
Raouna told a press conference that invitations were sent to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Jordanian King Abdullah II, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. She said those who “respond positively” and therefore attend will be announced on Monday.
Change from broader Mediterranean plan
Raouna said the initial plan was to invite the 10 countries participating in the Pact for the Mediterranean to discuss its implementation, but that regional developments led to a decision to maintain a limited format of guests. The 10 countries are Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, and Tunisia.
Zelenskiy to join by video
Raouna confirmed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will contribute to the summit via videocall and will not travel to Cyprus.
Geopolitical considerations and other potential invitees
Asked why other leaders previously mentioned by President Nikos Christodoulides and other government members were not included, Raouna said “geopolitical developments were taken into account.” Christodoulides had suggested Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan may be invited, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had also been viewed as a possible attendee.
Raouna said the current geopolitical state of the region guided the composition of guests from third countries, in collaboration with the office of European Council President Antonio Costa. She added that the Middle East is the EU’s neighbourhood and that the region’s security is linked to that of the EU, referring to partners in the context of the conflict in the Middle East, before being asked whether the Cypriot government or Costa had considered inviting Netanyahu.
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