Joint communiqué at conclusion of fourth Trilateral Jordanian-Cypriot-Greek Summit in Nicosia

AMMAN — A joint communiqué was released at the conclusion of the fourth Trilateral Jordanian-Cypriot-Greek Summit held in Nicosia on Wednesday between His Majesty King Abdullah, Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Citing new geopolitical context with unpredictable consequences, polarised international environment and political, economic and social pressures, the joint communiqué stressed the importance of intensified trilateral cooperation in order to tackle common challenges, and turn them into opportunities for the benefit of our peoples. 

The joint statement also expressed alarm over unfolding situation in the Middle East in light of the ongoing war in Gaza, rejecting any attempts at the forced transfer of the Palestinian civilian population and called for respect and protection. 

The King, Cyprus president and Greek prime minister underlined the primacy of  land corridors, and urged the opening of all crossings to Gaza for the delivery of humanitarian assistance. "We noted that all routes, whether land, air, or sea, including the Jordanian Land Corridor, the Cyprus Maritime Corridor and the Rafah Crossing, are invaluable in helping to alleviate the extremely dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and meet the vast humanitarian needs of civilians."

The communiqué also welcomed the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon and noted that its full implementation is imperative in the efforts of regional de-escalation. "We commended the persistent mediation efforts of the United States and France to this end."

It also said that the fifth Summit will be held in Jordan.

Following is the full text of the communiqué:

“IV Trilateral Summit between the Republic of Cyprus, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Hellenic Republic 

Nicosia, 27 November 2024

We, Nikos Christodoulides, President of the Republic of Cyprus, Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic, met in Nicosia on 27 November 2024, to take stock of the state of play of our tripartite cooperation, as well as progress achieved since the last Trilateral Summit in July 2021 and subsequent Ministerial meetings.

Acknowledging that the 4th Trilateral Summit takes place against the backdrop of a new and evolving geopolitical context with unpredictable consequences, a polarised international environment and unabating political, economic and social pressures, we stressed that it is more important than ever to reinvigorate and enhance our trilateral cooperation in order to tackle common challenges, turning them into opportunities for the benefit of our peoples. 

In this regard, we welcomed the resumption of the work of the Permanent Secretariat based in Nicosia and the appointment of a Secretary-General, with a view to strengthening the cooperation and coordination among our three countries, and facilitating the achievement of tangible results. 

We further reaffirmed the core values underpinning our trilateral cooperation, which are respect for international law and for the purposes and the principles of the United Nations Charter and UN Security Council Resolutions, including the maintenance of international peace and security, respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of States, the prohibition on acquisition of territory by force, development of friendly relations among nations and the settlement of international disputes by peaceful means.

We are profoundly alarmed with the unfolding situation in the Middle East. In light of the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip, which has endured for over a year, we deplored the relentless cycle of violence, the extensive destruction of civilian infrastructure and the immense loss of civilian life. We rejected any attempts at the forced transfer of the Palestinian civilian population and called for respect and protection, consistent with international humanitarian law, of all civilian and humanitarian facilities, as called for in UN Resolutions. We stressed the particularly grave impact that armed conflict has on women and children, including as refugees and displaced persons, as well as on other civilians who may have specific vulnerabilities, including persons with disabilities and older persons. We underscored the urgency for a full and complete ceasefire, with the release of hostages, the exchange of Palestinian prisoners, and the delivery of comprehensive, secure, and unhindered humanitarian assistance to Gaza, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2735 (2024), and support all diplomatic efforts for regional de-escalation.

 We reiterated the primacy of land corridors, and urged the opening of all crossings to Gaza for the delivery of humanitarian assistance. We noted that all routes, whether land, air, or sea, including the Jordanian Land Corridor, the Cyprus Maritime Corridor and the Rafah Crossing, are invaluable in helping to alleviate the extremely dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and meet the vast humanitarian needs of civilians. In this regard, Cyprus and Greece welcomed the Gaza Air Bridge mechanism, a complementary humanitarian initiative by His Majesty King Abdullah II.

At the same time, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)’s unique, indispensable, and irreplaceable role in supporting Palestinian refugees in its seventy-five-year-old history is more critical than ever before. It is essential that UNRWA can continue carrying out its crucial work in line with its mandate adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1949 and renewed since. In this regard, we condemn any actions to obstruct its capacity to fulfil its vital mandate.

We also strongly condemned the ongoing extremist settler violence in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. We called for safe access to the Holy Sites and for the Historic and Legal Status Quo to be upheld. In this regard, we reaffirmed our commitment to spare no effort in safeguarding the Historic and Legal Status Quo of the Holy Sites, working together with all international partners and interested parties. In this respect, Cyprus and Greece reaffirmed their support to the important role of His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein as the Custodian of Islamic and Christian Holy Sites in Jerusalem. Jordan’s important role in restoring calm and stopping violations in Jerusalem and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territories was highlighted.

We reiterated our support for a comprehensive, just, and lasting settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on the two-State solution, in accordance with international law and relevant UN resolutions ensuring the establishment of an independent, sovereign, contiguous and viable Palestinian State on 4 June 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side-by-side in peace and security with Israel, within secure and recognised borders. Further, we express our total rejection of any calls to annex the West Bank or any parts of it, and attempts of displacement of the Palestinian population. To this end, we assured that we will exert every effort to revive the political process in coordination with regional and international partners. We will continue assisting the Palestinian Authority in its reform, financial solvency and capacity-building efforts. Maintaining economic stability and support to the Palestinian Authority is critical for regional security.

We welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire agreement in relation to Lebanon and noted that its full implementation is imperative in the efforts of regional de-escalation. We commended the persistent mediation efforts of the United States and France to this end.

On the situation in Yemen and the Red Sea, we recalled relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, including 2216 (2015), 2722 (2024) and 2739 (2024). We reaffirmed our commitment to ensuring freedom of navigation and maritime security, including international efforts thereto, and we recalled the prerogative of countries to defend their vessels in accordance with international law, including the Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). We reiterated that States in the region have a leadership role to play in contributing to peace and security, including maritime security, also with the assistance of the European Union.

We reaffirmed our support to the Yemeni government and our commitment to the resumption of an inclusive political process in Yemen under UN auspices.

Additionally, we reiterated our commitment to the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, emphasizing the need for making progress towards achieving a political solution to the conflict in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolution 2254 (2015). In this regard, we expressed our support to the UN Envoy and his efforts within the framework of the Geneva process and appreciate the initiative of Jordan and Arab League efforts in proposing a way forward towards a pragmatic acceptable solution.

Acknowledging that the conflict in Lebanon has caused an influx of Syrian and Lebanese nationals from Lebanon to Syria exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation, we stressed the urgency for the international community to provide further humanitarian assistance, and to work with and support international organisations operating in Syria, especially the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). At the same time, while recognising that a political solution is the way for achieving lasting peace, stability, and security for the Syrian people and the region, we emphasised the importance of targeted and sustainable Early Recovery interventions aiming at improving livelihoods, access to essential basic and health services, shelter rehabilitation and community resilience. Such action will further facilitate the safe, voluntary, and dignified return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and refugees, alleviating the ongoing pressure on countries hosting Syrian refugees and curbing migratory flows. In this regard, we highlighted the importance of further supporting and coordinating with UNHCR and other partners on the ground.

We warned against the serious consequences of the decline in support for refugees and further underlined the importance of sustaining international support to countries hosting Syrian refugees, to help their efforts in fulfilling the needs of refugees and maintaining the resilience of host communities. It is the responsibility of the international community to manage the refugee crisis on the basis of the principles of solidarity and equitable burden-sharing, appreciating the role of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in hosting over 1.3 million Syrians.

We acknowledged the instrumental role of the EU in supporting Jordan to overcoming the crisis thus helping the achievement of stability and security in the region. We also acknowledged Greece’s major contribution with regard to the reception and accommodation of refugees and Cyprus’ efforts providing reception and hosting disproportionate numbers of refugees.

We welcomed the 15th meeting of the EU-Jordan Association Council that took place last July in Brussels during which the EU and Jordan reviewed their dynamic and multidimensional partnership on the basis of their Association Agreement, in force since 2002, and the Partnership Priorities 2021-2027. In this regard, we expressed our unwavering commitment towards upgrading this relationship to a strategic and comprehensive partnership within 2025.

We also underlined the importance of strengthening the Euro-Mediterranean cooperation, both in the framework of the EU Southern Neighbourhood policy and the Union for the Mediterranean.

We discussed the Cyprus problem and stressed support to a just, comprehensive and viable settlement of the Cyprus problem in line with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and international law. We emphasized that all unilateral measures or acts that are inconsistent with relevant United Nations resolutions and international law, or undermine efforts towards a negotiated peaceful solution must cease. We underlined the important role of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) in safeguarding peace and stability in line with the United Nations’ purposes and principles. We also stressed that a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem will not only benefit the people of Cyprus, but will also significantly contribute to peace and stability of the region. Towards this end, we called for the speedy resumption of negotiations.

We recognised the importance of regional cooperation and economic interdependence in fostering closer ties and creating the conditions for lasting peace in the Eastern Mediterranean region. We commended the significant steps taken in this direction, including initiatives for enhancing regional energy cooperation, such as the East Mediterranean Gas Forum. These efforts are pivotal in enhancing regional stability, promoting sustainable development, and ensuring a prosperous future for all countries involved.

We reaffirmed our dedication to renew and reinforce our cooperation in a range of sectors. In this regard, we welcomed the signing of a trilateral Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the field of Water Resources; a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the field of Education for the years 2024-2027; and lastly a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between “Invest Cyprus”, Jordan’s Ministry of Investment, and Enterprise Greece S.A, thus revitalising our cooperation in the fields of education and investments.

Our three countries are committed to commonly face and address the effects of climate change in our region including natural disasters, sea level rise, extreme weather events, droughts, desertification and wildfires. Acknowledging that these challenges can be better addressed through collective and concerted effort, we underscored our readiness to examine common projects in the framework of the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East Climate Change Initiative. Furthermore, we reiterated our commitment to enhance regional cooperation in areas such as Civil Protection, by working together, to establish a regional firefighting centre in Cyprus.

Recognising the crucial role of the tourism in our economies we also agreed to expand cooperation in the tourism sector by exploring strategies to jointly promote our rich religious and cultural heritage, including through the development of coordinated travel packages that offer visitors an immersive experience across our countries.

We also explored further fields of cooperation, inter alia, in areas of empowering women and girls.

Since the inaugural Trilateral Summit in 2018, substantial progress has been made. Our trilateral mechanism remains dynamic, representing a constructive and stabilizing force in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East and we are fully committed to expanding its scope and breadth. We are confident that our trilateral collaboration will bring significant benefits to our countries, our peoples, and the broader region and we are determined to harness synergies that will allow us to realise the full potential of this partnership.

 We have agreed to convene the fifth Summit in Jordan.”