 for our shared values, values of peace, of prosperity, and pursuit of freedom. We are three vibrant democracies bound by close geographical proximity. We're neighbors and today we come together with one vision to embrace the future and the opportunity that it holds for our people, our countries, and our region. At the same time, we also recognize the threats in our complex region that are causes of joint concern, the concern for our climate, concern for the health and livelihoods of our people, and the concern of our security in the face of terror. We're pushing back on the bad forces of this region day and night. We won't stop for one second. This happens almost daily. In the face of destructive forces, we will continue to act, we will be persistent, and we will not tire. And at the same time, we're strengthening our relationships with our friends on all levels. And indeed, together we're stronger, and our meeting today is a testimony of that. We're advancing our East Med energy connection and taking the cooperation to new heights. We're collaborating on our fight against COVID. We're all facing COVID and Omicron and climate change. And we're expanding our ties in the fields of security, economy, technology, tourism, and emergency services. When one country has a forest fire, why can't the other countries come in and help? Just last month, I had the privilege of meeting the commanders of your air forces, very impressive people. They came to Israel to strengthen international military cooperation and to promote regional stability. That's what we're seeking, peace and stability. So our countries are cooperating in air. With our energy projects, our countries are cooperating at sea. And here today, I think we could also say that we're cooperating on the ground. This trilateral alliance between Israel, Cyprus, and Greece is good for our people, good for our countries, and good for the region. And it has power to do good. Nikos Kiriakos, you're not just allies. Fili, you're true friends. Simahi, I thank you for your unshakable friendship. Mr. President, please. Thank you very much. Dear Prime Minister Bennett, dear Naftali, dear Prime Minister Mitsudaikis, dear Kiriakos, it is always a pleasure to be back to Jerusalem. And I wish to warmly thank Prime Minister Naftali for the hospitality extended to us, almost two years in the pandemic. And despite the self-evident difficulties in holding physical meetings, I am pleased to note that our trilateral cooperation retains its momentum. What is equally satisfying is the fact that this is the eighth trilateral summit taking place and the first one with Prime Minister Bennett, dear friends. During today's discussion, we will have the opportunity to evaluate all aspects of our trilateral partnership. Also in the light of changes, the pandemics of the region have undergone over the past year. We will also have the chance to exchange ideas on a broad array of issues of common interest and establish where we stand and how we take things forward, both in regional and multilateral aspects of how our cooperation in line with the joint declaration. To this end, the establishment of the permanent secretariat for the trilateral mechanism in Nicosia, which has been concluded, will streamline the coordination of all the sectoral areas of cooperation and generate the impetus for their expansion, depending as well as their diversification as a successful example of our growing three-plus-one cooperation with the United States. Ladies and gentlemen, our discussion also will focus in areas of cooperation that are very relevant to our citizens' everyday life. The first one is the unprecedented crisis in the pandemic of COVID-19 and the new field that we deem important. We decided that cooperation will have added value among others how to handle long-term after-effects of COVID-19. The other issue is climate change and its repercussions on our natural environments, our economies, and our very way of life. Concurrently, I will inform of the results of the recent Second International Conference on climate change in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, which took place this past October in Cyprus, with the aim to establish a comprehensive regional action plan for tackling climate change and its effects in our region. The third issue of cooperation on which our delegations will focus was how we can be better prepared and coordinated to face emergency situations, and in this regard we have agreed or we will agree to launch or we will deliberate how to launch a forum for security and disaster reduction and prevention. Ladies and gentlemen, as always our cooperation in the energy sector figured prominently on our agenda. The Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum and the momentum it has gained is a testament of this. I will have the chance to brief my colleagues of the priorities of the upcoming Cypriot presidency of the forum during which we aim to promote actions which will increase the relevance of our region in the transition towards greener and more sustainable energy. Our projects such as the Eurasian Interconnector and the East Bend Pipeline fit very well into this global discourse both for their substance, but also for their strategic value in cross-border cooperation in energy provision and security from the Eastern Mediterranean to continental Europe. My dear colleagues, my dears colleagues, we will also brief, sorry I have to correct, Prime Minister Bennett, my dears Neftali, we will also brief us on the latest developments in relation to the truly historic Abraham Accords which have been a true game changer in relation to the avenues of cooperation which it spades the way in our region. In recent, we welcomed the recent agreement between Israel, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates which manifests the potential of the region as a pioneer in cross-border energy cooperation. At the same time, both my dears Yiriakos and I myself are strategic partners of Israel. While simultaneously maintaining excellent relations with the Gulf countries, we will convey to the Prime Minister Bennett our willingness to take part in common projects between the parties at the Abraham Accords. Taking this opportunity as we talk about achieving regional security, stability and peace, we hope that the positive resumption of meaningful negotiations of the Middle East problem will result in a just and viable two-state solution which will address the legitimate security concerns of the State of Israel and will enable Israelis and Palestinians to live side by side in security and peaceful coexistence with all their neighbors. Ladies and gentlemen, despite the positive developments we are witnessing in our region, we are neither naive nor blind to the significant challenges that we still face. As ever, we are plagued by long-running conflicts that are the breaching ground for extremism and terrorism of all shapes. Added to this are states that act as spoilers and not only complicate more the solution of the set conflicts but also are actively subordaging any effort for regional understanding. My own country is long subjected to this behavior by our neighbor named Turkey which, in total with regard to international law and norms, is practicing a revisionist policy according to which might is right. And that is why it would be an omission not to mention Ankara's aggressive and illegal policy and planning both at sea with the vision, with the violations of the exercise of foreign rights within the exclusive economic zone and on the ground in full defiance of the special status of Russia as prescribed with the relevant UN resolutions. In this context and in addition to the above, I also will have the opportunity to brief Prime Ministers Bennett and Mitsotakis on the current state of play of the Cyprus problem and thank them for their support and principle stance in this regard. I will elaborate on our numerous and persistent efforts to resume meaningful and resultatory in the negotiation process as well as to the new claims by Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot leadership for a two-state solution that run contrary to the agreed basis of the settlement as established by the high-level agreements between the leaders of the two communities and the United Nations accounts of resolutions. Ladies and gentlemen, dear Naftali, dear Kiriakos, during today's deliberations we will also discuss EU-Israeli relations during which both Kiriakos and I will assure Prime Minister Bennett that we remain committed to the enhancement of this relationship and that we will continue stressing the need to further advance this cooperation in the framework of the EU-Israeli Association Agreement and particularly in swiftly convening the very long overdue EU-Israeli Association Council. Once again, dear Naftali, I wish to thank you for your hospitality and I look forward to reciprocating the conference in Cyprus by hosting the Nest Relator Summit in 2032. Thank you very much once again, my dearest friend. Thank you. Mr. Prime Minister. Thank you very much. Prime Minister Bennett, dear Naftali, Mr. President, dear Nikos, what a pleasure to be here in Jerusalem to participate once more in this trilateral scheme which has proven to be so useful, so important in terms of ensuring cooperation between our three democracies. We've been a steadfast promoter of regional peace, prosperity and security and we will have the opportunity again today to touch upon various topics of common interest. Of course, we enjoy, Mr. Prime Minister, fraternal relations with the Cyprus, but I also need to point out that our relations with Israel have never really been better and the project of the International Flight Training Centre in Kalamata is a result and I think a testament of this durable strategic partnership that we have managed to forge over the past. Now, we'll be able to discuss recent developments regarding COVID. We're all aware that this pandemic is not over yet. We've learned a lot from Israel during these past 18 months. Probably the most important message is to continue, aggressively push with our vaccination efforts and to make sure we get booster shots into the arms of as many of our citizens as possible. That is the only safe remedy against the future spread of COVID. We'll also have an opportunity to discuss areas of common cooperation in challenges and step from climate change. You did mention the area of civil protection which is particularly important to us and indeed we have the ability to much better coordinate our responses when it comes to addressing natural disasters such as wildfires. I would like again to thank both your countries for supporting Greece during the horrible wildfires that we faced last summer, but it is clear that these challenges affect the Eastern Mediterranean as a whole and that better coordination amongst our countries between Israel and the EU as a whole is going to be beneficial for all our people. Of course, we'll have the opportunity to also discuss the outcomes of COP26, how we move our countries at a fast pace towards decarbonisation. You are aware, Prime Minister Bennett, that the European Union has set very ambitious targets regarding the reduction of CO2 emissions. 55% reduction by 2030, carbon neutrality by 2050, but I think we all recognise that in the meantime until we get to a future where almost all of our energy is going to come from renewable energy, in the meantime natural gas is going to be particularly important. That is why I would also like to emphasise what President Anastasia has said, the importance of the East Med Gas Forum as a mechanism of cooperation, of better coordination amongst the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean and that is why it is important to focus on all infrastructure networks, whether they involve gas or electricity interconnections that will further create a more unified electricity and gas market amongst our countries. Of course, we will also have an opportunity to discuss regional challenges. President Anastasia has mentioned the very unfortunate events that have taken place in Cyprus over the past months, the unacceptable provocations when it comes to Varosa, but also this Turkish change of approach vis-à-vis the resolution of the Cyprus problem. I would like to reiterate once more that the only viable solution to the Cyprus problem is one that fully respects all the decisions taken by the Security Council and our position is very clear. There can be no solution without the abolition of the anachronistic system of guarantees and rights of third parties to intervene in Cypriot affairs and of course no solution without the complete withdrawal of the Turkish occupation troops from the island. Unfortunately, what we see from Turkey is a continued intragizance and an acceptable aggression both on land and in the maritime zones of Cyprus and of course the plans for the settlement in the fenced off city of Varosa will, if continued, condemn any attempt for a mutually. Acceptable solution. Let me bring my remarks to a close by mentioning again how many different areas of cooperation we have that we will have an opportunity to further explore. We will also touch upon the economic recovery post COVID. All our economies are poised to recover at a very fast pace this year and opportunities for further economic cooperation are significant. We already, dear Naftali, see significant Israeli investments in Greece and of course we are looking forward to welcome even more Israeli tourists and I'm happy that we can reach agreements regarding the mutual acceptance of vaccine certificates based on the specific requirements that each country sets in terms of classifying someone as being fully vaccinated. And finally let me also point out how important the broader mechanism of cooperation that emerged in the area as a result of the Abrahamal courts are also for Greece. Looking forward to hear more on this from you and finally let me again mention that the 3 plus 1 format with the participation of the United States is also of particular importance and opportunity yesterday to speak with Secretary Blinken and Senator Menendez and I highlighted again how important it is for the United States to remain engaged in what is happening in the Eastern Mediterranean. So again thank you dear Naftali for the very warm hospitality. Always a great pleasure to be in Israel, to be here in Jerusalem and we're looking forward to very meaningful discussions. Thank you very much. Thank you. That concludes today's remarks. Please remain in your seats until the leaders leave the room. Thank you.