Aoun to meet Cyprus president in his first meeting with a head of state

The president of Cyprus says he will be the first head of state to meet with the newly elected president of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun.

President Nikos Christodoulides told reporters that he would be meeting Aoun when he departs for Lebanon around midday Friday.

Christodoulides said he knows Aoun “well” from his tenure as chief of Lebanon’s armed forces.

He said the meeting is indicative of the role that Cyprus, as a European Union member closest to the Middle East, can play in helping to “meet the challenges that have arisen in the region.”

In a written statement, Cyprus government spokesman Constantinos Letymbiotis said Christodoulides will also discuss with Aoun Lebanon’s internal issues and to convey Cyprus' readiness to provide any needed assistance and to strengthen relations with its neighbor.

Cyprus is less than 200 kilometers (130 miles) from the Lebanese capital Beirut and has provided the country with military assistance to prop up its armed forces.