Nicosia, Cyprus. The Gaza Board of Peace will hold a two-day summit in Cyprus on June 30 and July 1, Cypriot government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis confirmed on Wednesday. He said the Cypriot government remains on the board’s periphery and is neither organising nor co-organising the event.
Government position
Letymbiotis said the Republic of Cyprus is not an organiser or co-organiser of the summit. He added that the board’s decision to convene in Cyprus reflects the country’s importance on the international stage.
He said the choice of Cyprus by the board’s administrative arm highlighted the country’s practical contribution through initiatives and humanitarian support for the civilian population in Gaza.
Participation and meetings
Asked about attendance, Letymbiotis said “officials” would participate in the summit. He added that some of them have already requested meetings with Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos during their stay in Cyprus.
Cyprus and Trump’s Gaza plan
On Trump’s Gaza peace plan, Letymbiotis said Cyprus welcomed and supported it from the beginning.
He said President Nikos Christodoulides took part in the first conference announcing the plan and had submitted a proposal of eight specific points based on United States President Donald Trump’s plan for the faster implementation of Gaza’s reconstruction.
Reported composition of the summit
The exact composition of the summit has not yet been published. However, the Times of Israel reported that the gathering in Cyprus will include representatives from the Board of Peace’s executive board, the Palestinian-run committee for the administration of Gaza, and the office of Nikolay Mladenov, the Bulgarian diplomat appointed by Trump as his high representative for Gaza.
According to the report, high-profile members of the executive board include US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former British prime minister Sir Tony Blair, and World Bank group president Ajay Banga.
Cyprus and the board
Cyprus was among dozens of countries invited to join the Board of Peace. On the day of the board’s inauguration, Kombos said the island was waiting for the European Union to form a common position before making a decision.
European Union members Bulgaria and Hungary joined the board as full members, while Cyprus, in line with the bloc’s broader position, decided to attend meetings as an observer.