Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis held a telephone conversation on Tuesday with his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty, focusing on the latest developments in Libya and the challenges facing the wider Eastern Mediterranean region.

According to a statement from Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the call took place as part of ongoing consultations and coordination between the two countries on bilateral relations and regional issues of mutual interest.

Badr Abdelatty underlined the close ties between Greece and Egypt, highlighting the special and strategic nature of their bilateral relations.

The Egyptian minister referred to the two countries’ deep historical ties and geographical proximity, noting that these factors had helped broaden their shared interests.

He also highlighted the qualitative upgrade in Greek-Egyptian relations, particularly following their elevation to a “strategic partnership”, reaffirming Cairo’s commitment to further strengthening cooperation with Athens.

Preparations for the trilateral summit between Greece, Cyprus and Egypt

A significant part of the discussion focused on trilateral cooperation between Greece, Cyprus and Egypt, with Abdelatty reaffirming his country’s commitment to maintaining and strengthening the framework.

According to the Egyptian side, the trilateral partnership has evolved into a model of comprehensive regional cooperation at a time when challenges across the Mediterranean are intensifying.

Against this backdrop, the two ministers reviewed preparations for the next trilateral summit between Greece, Cyprus and Egypt, with the aim of continuing coordination among the three countries.

Discussion on the latest developments in Libya

Particular emphasis was placed on regional developments and the growing challenges facing the wider region, with the two ministers discussing the situation in Libya in light of recent events.

The reference to Libya is of particular interest given developments surrounding the Turkish-Libyan memorandum on maritime zones, which has long been a point of disagreement between Athens and Ankara.

However, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ statement made no explicit reference to the Turkish-Libyan memorandum, nor did it clarify whether the issue had been discussed during the telephone conversation.

The statement was limited to noting that the two ministers exchanged views on the situation in Libya and recent developments, as part of broader coordination between Greece and Egypt on regional issues.