Saudi crown prince, Cyprus president hold talks in Riyadh

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman hosted the president of Cyprus at the Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh on Tuesday.

After a welcoming ceremony, Prince Mohammed and Nicos Anastasiades held talks during which they discussed relations and cooperation between the two countries.

Efforts to enhance joint coordination in various fields and regional and international issues of common interest were also reviewed.

The Cypriot side condemned the Houthis’ terrorist attacks with ballistic missiles and drones targeting the Kingdom’s territory, its vital facilities, and civilian objects.

The Kingdom affirmed its principled position regarding the Cyprus issue on the importance of resolving disputes through peaceful means and dialogue in accordance with the rules of international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

Saudi Arabia and Cyprus agreed to discuss cooperation in the energy sector, including petrochemicals, energy efficiency, and electricity.

The two sides agreed on importance of raising the pace of economic cooperation by promoting and diversifying trade and investment exchange.

They also agreed to discuss cooperation on clean technologies for hydrocarbon resources, and low-carbon fuels, including hydrogen.

Cyprus welcomed the Saudi Green and Middle East Green initiatives. Saudi Arabia also welcomed the Cypriot President’s initiative for Coordinating Climate Change Actions in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East.

With regard to climate change issues, the two sides stressed the importance of adhering to the principles of the Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement.

The nations also emphasized the importance of elevating cooperation in tourism.

They also agreed to work on localizing energy sector products and associated supply chains.

The crown prince praised Cyprus’ support for Saudi Arabia’s bid to host Expo 2030.

In a tweet, Anastasiades said that he “reaffirmed the mutual commitment to intensify the strategic nature of our bilateral partnership and enhance political, trade, and socio-economic links between Cyprus and Saudi Arabia,” during his visit.