Minister for Foreign Affairs Guiulio Terzi met today at the foreign ministry in Rome with Foreign Minister of the Republic of Cyprus Erato Kozakou-MarcoullisThe two ministers reviewed what they noted as excellent bilateral relations and a common commitment to intensifying economic and cultural collaboration, citing, in particular, the growing dissemination of the Italian language in Cyprus and a serried of high level archaeological initiatives.Minister Marcoullis outlined the priorities of his country’s Presidency of the EU Council, set to begin on July 1st, in which context Terzi assured Italy’s full support for Cyprus in completing its Presidency’s agenda. He also spoke brought up the case of the two Italian servicemen being detained in India, underscoring the affair’s European dimension, not least in light of today’s meeting between President Mario Monti and EU High Representative Catherine Ashton.
The two ministers also commented on the results of the latest Gymnich meeting, agreeing on the need for Europe’s renewed commitment to fostering a framework of stability and security in the Mediterranean, and to meeting the expectations of the peoples and civil societies of the region within the context of the democratic transition processes now under way. They agreed, to that end, that Europe’s efforts on behalf of human rights, particularly regarding freedom of worship, within the framework of the European security strategy, was a priority.
Ample attention was also given to the latest developments in Syria, Egypt and Libya. On Syria, the two ministers expressed the common and fervent hope in a unified and rapid international community effort to convince Syria to launch a political process and immediately put an end to all forms of violence. Minister Terzi also expressed his encouragement in the pursuance of negotiations between leaders of the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot communities. Relations between Cyprus and Turkey were also discussed.
