State Secretary for Europe Andreja Metelko-Zgombić on Monday held political consultations with the State Secretary at the Cypriot Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kornelios Korneliou.
Metelko-Zgombić expressed satisfaction with the frequent visits that highlight excellent bilateral relations. The strong cooperation between Croatia and Cyprus was confirmed by the memorandum of agreement on political consultations between the two countries’ ministries of foreign affairs, signed in Nicosia in March 2021 by foreign ministers Grlić Radman and Christodoulides. Metelko-Zgombić and Korneliou also met in July 2021 at the Dubrovnik Forum.
Croatia and Cyprus’ good relations are additionally confirmed by the agreement between the two governments on the exchange and protection of classified information, signed on 4 October 2021, which will augment the advancement of bilateral cooperation in defence and security.
Metelko-Zgombić thanked Cyprus for supporting Croatia’s MED7 bid, which offers Croatia a new framework for resolving important issues in the Mediterranean, such as climate change and environmental protection, as well as migration and security challenges. She reiterated Croatia’s support for resolving the Cyprus dispute in line with the relevant UN resolutions and the international law. The two state secretaries exchanged views on illegal migration, concurring that it was important to reach an EU-wide agreement while respecting the principles of responsibility and solidarity, as frontline countries cannot cope with the migration pressure alone. Reflecting on the upcoming informal EU-Western Balkans summit of 6 October, Metelko-Zgombić and Korneliou underscored support for the continuation of credible enlargement, with a full respect for the principles of fair conditionality and individual merit.
In addition, the two state secretaries discussed other topics on the EU agenda, expressing interest to strengthen economic cooperation.
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