Nicosia (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Cyprus’s president urged restraint amid escalating Middle East tensions, advocating dialogue and diplomacy in talks with Lebanese and Israeli leaders.
European Union member Cyprus’s president called for restraint over escalating strains in the Middle East in separate telephone conversations with the Lebanese and Israeli prime ministers, his spokesperson expressed in a statement.
The East Mediterranean island is the nearest European Union member state to the Middle East and has good ties with both Lebanon and Israel. Cyprus was ready to serve as a conduit for diplomacy as well as facilitate connections between the sides, said spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbioti
What are the recent developments in Middle East tensions?
There has been a strong escalation in tensions between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, a dominant power in Lebanon since explosions of pagers and walkie-talkies extinguished 39 and maimed thousands of its members this week, and an Israeli bomb killed 31 people, including 16 Hezbollah members.
How has Cyprus positioned itself in the regional conflict?
Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides “voiced his strong concern” at the escalation of tension in the region in phone calls to Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu, said Letymbiotis. “He stressed the need for a quick end to actions that may lead to further destabilisation but also have more comprehensive regional effects,” he declared.
Christodoulides stressed the importance of solving disputes through dialogue and diplomacy, within the framework of UN resolutions and international law. “To this end, the president referred to the readiness of Cyprus to continue to be a conduit of such efforts, as well as contact between the sides based on excellent relations with all countries in the region,” statedLetymbiotis.
Earlier this year, Cyprus evolved a bridge in delivering badly-needed humanitarian aid into Israel-besieged Gaza. It has also stated it would assist in an evacuation of civilians from the region if tensions were to escalate.
