Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday stressed the need to establish conditions of security and stability in the region and achieve peace during their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia. Abbas referred to the ‘excellent relationship’ between the Republic of Cyprus and the Palestinian people, as well as the excellent relations Cyprus ‘rightly’ maintains with Israel, adding that Nicosia could play a role in mediating between the two sides on the basis of a political solution grounded in international law and United Nations Security Council resolutions.
‘The Republic of Cyprus is part of the solution to the problems in the region,’ President Christodoulides said as he welcomed the Palestinian President, adding that Nicosia was ‘at Palestine’s disposal to play any role that you consider necessary for the Republic of Cyprus to fulfil, in order to achieve our common goals.’
Speaking through an interpreter, Abbas said that, for many years, the Palestinian side had ‘extended our hands to the Israeli side in order to reach a settlement and achieve peace.’ He called on President Christodoulides to enable Cyprus, ‘as a neighbouring country’, to play a role in ensuring that peaceful discussions with Israel’s new government produced the desired positive results.
President Christodoulides welcomed Abbas to the Presidential Palace shortly before noon, after which the two leaders held a private meeting.
According to a statement issued by the Presidency, President Christodoulides said he was particularly pleased to welcome Abbas to Cyprus following his two visits to Palestine in 2023 and 2025.
‘Our relations have always been excellent,’ he said, noting that the Republic of Cyprus had recognised Palestine in 1988 and that Cyprus’ position on resolving the Palestinian issue was ‘clear’ and based on the agreed framework of United Nations resolutions.
At the same time, he said, ‘there are developments today that highlight both the importance we attach to our relations and our commitment to creating conditions of security and stability in our region.’
He said that most of the Republic of Cyprus’ humanitarian assistance was directed to Palestine, while that Palestine made use of the CYCLOPS centre in Larnaca to train Palestinians.
Palestine had also recently participated in a seminar at the aerial firefighting centre established by the Republic of Cyprus and the European Union in Paphos, he said.
‘Your visit comes at a very important juncture for our region. I look forward to our discussions and the exchange of views on how we can work together, always taking a positive approach, to create conditions of security and stability in the region,’ President Christodoulides told Abbas.
The Republic of Cyprus, he added, ‘is part of the solution to the problems in the region’ and was ‘constantly working with this positive approach’. ‘And, of course, we are also at Palestine’s disposal to play any role that you consider necessary for the Republic of Cyprus to fulfil, in order to achieve our common goals,’ he said.
For his part, Abbas thanked President Christodoulides for the invitation and the warm welcome in Nicosia.
He noted that Cyprus had recognised Palestine in 1988, ‘at a very early stage and without us even asking’, adding that this reflected the Republic of Cyprus’ clear support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
Abbas also expressed ‘warm thanks to the Republic of Cyprus for its humanitarian and political support for the Palestinian people and the Palestinian cause’.
‘We are concerned about the security of the region, including security with the Israelis. We do not want military tensions or conflicts, and we want the problem to be resolved based on Security Council resolutions and international law, for the benefit of the entire region,’ he said.
Abbas added that the Palestinian side had adopted a slogan it was not ashamed to proclaim openly: ‘We support peaceful popular resistance, which expresses the Palestinian people’s protest when their rights are violated.’
He said that, following their private meeting, the two leaders would have an opportunity to exchange views on the situation and ‘the severe hardships’ endured by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which, he said, was ‘the legitimate capital of the Palestinian state under international resolutions’.
‘For many years, we have extended our hands to the Israeli side in order to reach a settlement and achieve peace, not only between the Palestinian people and the Israelis, or between Palestine and Israel, but also between Israel and neighbouring Arab countries, for the benefit of the entire region and the world,’ Abbas said.
Referring to the recent Israeli elections, Abbas said the Palestinian side was awaiting the final results and the formation of the new political landscape. Once Israel’s new government had been formed, he said, Palestine would be ready to discuss peace with it.
He also said that Nicosia, could support Palestinians ‘given your good intentions and the fact that you are a neighbouring country with a friendly people’ by playing a role in ensuring that these peaceful discussions produce the desired positive results.
The two leaders later attended a working lunch with members of their respective delegations.
During the lunch, President Christodoulides reiterated that the Republic of Cyprus was ready to play ‘any role that you consider we can fulfil in promoting cooperation in our region.’
He said that, as the EU member state in the region, Cyprus conveyed the concerns of regional countries to Europe while also representing the EU in the region.
‘We cannot change geography, which is why we must all work together on the basis of a positive agenda and a positive approach to achieve our common goals,’ he added.
Abbas, speaking through an interpreter, said he felt at home in Cyprus because the Palestinian people felt not only a geographical closeness to the Cypriot people but also warmth and an existential, human bond with them.
He noted that there had recently been ‘major developments’ in Europe’s position on the Palestinian issue, citing Spain, France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands as countries whose positions had become almost identical to that of Palestine.
‘This makes us particularly happy, because Europe as a whole can play an important role in resolving the issue and achieving peace in the region, as well as playing a role for the benefit of the countries of the region,’ he said.
Referring to the role Cyprus could play, Abbas said Nicosia could make a very important contribution.
‘I will not dwell on the excellent relationship between the Palestinian people, the Cypriot people and the Republic of Cyprus, but you also have excellent relations, rightly so, with Israel. Therefore, you can play a role in mediating between the two sides on the basis of a political solution grounded in international law and United Nations Security Council resolutions,’ he said.