Cyprus, Greece, Jordan set foundations for strategic partnership

NICOSIA, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Cyprus, Greece and Jordan have laid the foundations for a tripartite partnership and strategic regional cooperation, the leaders of the three countries said in a statement on Tuesday.

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades hosted King Abdullah II to talks in Nicosia that led to the signing of bilateral and tripartite agreements in several sectors.

It was the first summit of the three countries, in line with similar summits Cyprus and Greece had with Egypt, Israel and Lebanon.

The summit "sets the foundation for strategic and regional partnership for political, economic and social benefits for all three countries", Anastasiades told a joint press conference at the end of the talks.

The three eastern Mediterranean neighbors signed a declaration for cooperation in the fields of security, peace, and prosperity aimed at promoting cooperation in both the public and private sectors.

"We have expressed our commitment to lay the groundwork for the strengthening of the cooperation between our three countries in many areas of common interest," the joint declaration said.

Such cooperation included the fight against terrorism and measures to cope with the influx of refugees, as well as dealing with the root causes of the problem.

King Abdullah said the summit marked the launch of "what we hope will develop into a fruitful trilateral partnership" with benefits to the wider area.

He said their respective countries were oases of stability in an otherwise volatile region. "It is no secret that we live in a very tough neighborhood, but it also provides challenges and opportunities that must be capitalized on," he added.

Greek Prime Minister Tsipras said the partnership should be based on strong foundations to face joint challenges, such as the refugee problem.

He added that Jordan needed to be further assisted by the European Union (EU) as it is currently hosting 1.5 million refugees in the wake of the crisis in Syria.

Greece itself is also home to tens of thousands of refugees from Syria, while Cyprus is hosting several hundreds of people who fled fighting in the country.

Agreements signed provide for cooperation in the sectors of renewable sources of energy, tourism, education and the protection of cultural property. Enditem