Cypriot Defense Minister Holds Talks with Senior Lebanese Officials

Cypriot Defense Minister Dimitris Eliadis held talks on Saturday with senior Lebanese officials who stressed that the bilateral ties between Lebanon and Cyprus are “excellent.”

“Lebanon's stability is a key component to maintain stability in the region,” Eliadis said during a meeting with his Lebanese counterpart Minister Fayez Ghosn.

The two officials tackled the latest developments in Syria.

They also discussed the bilateral ties and the military cooperation between the two countries.

Ghosn voiced his hope that the crisis in the neighboring country Syria would end soon through implementing the reforms that the Syrian people are demanding.

He briefed Eliadis on the measures undertaken by the army across Lebanon and along the border with Syria.

Ghosn noted that the army should be offered all the necessary support and provided with all the required aid to be able to carry out its tasks.

For his part, Eliadis stressed that the European Union rejects any military intervention in Syria.

Earlier, the Cypriot Defense Minister held separate talks with President Michel Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Najib Miqati and Army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji.

Eliadis discussed the bilateral ties with Suleiman, in particular, the military and security cooperation.

He also held talks with PM Miqati.

“The ties between Lebanon and Cyprus are excellent, we are working on reinforcing and developing them,” Eliadis said after the meeting.

He stressed during a meeting with Berri that the demarcation of Lebanon's maritime border for its Exclusive Economic Zone should be within the international standards and principles.

Lebanon and Israel are bickering over a zone that consists of about 854 square kilometers and suspected energy reserves there that could generate billions of dollars.

Media reports said that Lebanon was able to restore around 500 square kilometers of the maritime zone that it considers it to be within its EEZ, which was acknowledged during the tripartite meetings in al-Naqoura between Lebanese and Israeli officials under the auspices of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.

Eliadis also held talks with Qahwaji and discussed the military cooperation between the two countries.