European issues – including the follow-up to the June European Council – bilateral relations and the situation in Syria. These were the topics on the agenda for Foreign Minister Emma Bonino’s discussions at the Farnesina today with her Cypriot colleague, Ioannis Kasoulides
At EU level, the two ministers viewed measures to combat unemployment, especially among young people, as a priority. They hoped that the instruments being introduced by the European Investment Bank will play a significant role in financing the real economy. They also agreed on the need for greater coordination by the countries of southern Europe on Mediterranean issues, such as migration flows and the EU’s relations with the countries of North Africa and the Middle East.
Turning to EU enlargement, Minister Bonino welcomed Cyprus’s more open approach to dialogue with Turkey, which would help anchor it to the integration process.
At the bilateral level, the two foreign ministers agreed on the excellent level of collaboration between Rome and Nicosia. Collaboration which, they observed, could be strengthened in economic matters, most notably in the energy sector, in view of the recent natural gas discoveries in Cypriot waters.
Lastly, Ministers Bonino and Kasoulides discussed the crisis in Syria. They focused on the humanitarian crisis and the pressing need for the United Nations Security Council to adopt a Resolution paving the way for significant flows of humanitarian aid to Syria, Lebanon and Jordan to relieve the alarming situation.
