Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi met in Cairo on Saturday for a trilateral summit. During the meeting they laid the foundations for a strategic cooperation and a common front for geopolitical stability, energy security, combatting terrorism and working towards economic growth.

The three leaders issued a joint communiqué following the summit where they noted that the meeting was the start of cooperation between the three countries that is aimed towards their mutual welfare and for creating stability. In their declaration, they also called for an end to Turkish provocation in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Cyprus and also committed to the speeding up of the process of negotiations defining the three countries’ EEZ.

Mr. Samaras and Mr. El-Sisi met prior to the trilateral summit on Friday. The Greek Prime Minister was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos, government spokeswoman Sofia Voultepsi and his advisors Chrysanthos Lazaridis and Dimitris Ptochos.

The Greek delegation is also scheduled to meet with representatives of the Greek community in Egypt.