Cyprus-Israel diplomatic and parliamentary cooperation

The Israeli Ambassador to Cyprus, Oren Anolik, held separate meetings with two Cypriot parliamentary committee chairs this week. On Tuesday, the Chair of the Committee on Foreign and European Affairs, George Karoullas, met with the Ambassador to discuss strengthening cooperation in defense, energy, tourism, and innovation. During this meeting, Karoullas reaffirmed the Cypriot stance on the Cyprus problem, advocating for a solution based on a bicommunal, bizonal federation under UN frameworks, while criticizing Turkey's regional policy. On Thursday, the Chair of the Defense Committee, Eugenios Champoullas, also met with Ambassador Anolik to discuss bilateral relations in defense and security. Both Cypriot officials and the Israeli Ambassador emphasized that these relationships enjoy broad support across political spectrums in both nations. The meetings highlighted the mutual desire to deepen ties through parliamentary diplomacy between the Cypriot House of Representatives and the Israeli Knesset. The Israeli side reiterated the importance of its strategic partnership with Cyprus across multiple sectors.