Trilateral summit between Israel, Greece, and the GCA: Response given to Turkey question

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the leader of the Greek Administration of Southern Cyprus (GASC) Nikos Christodoulides, followingseparate bilateral meetings in occupied Jerusalem, held atrilateral summit.Following the summit,the leadersspoke at a joint press conference. Netanyahu touched upon economic relations and investments with the GASC and Greece, stating that there are 186 flights per week between Israel and the GASC, calling it incredible.

Netanyahu said, "Do the math,how many flights is that a day? I don't know many Israeli investors who haven't visited Greece or invested in Greece. An increasing number of them are growing there."Stating that they want to expand the circle of cooperation between Israel and the Arab world,Netanyahu said that in his meeting with the Greek and Cypriot leaders, they reaffirmed their commitment to expanding the Abraham Accords.Netanyahu added, "We also expressed our support for a future where Lebanon's sovereignty is respected and where legitimate state institutions, not militias, hold authority and military power."

"WE AGREED"Stating that they agreed to deepen security and defense cooperation, Netanyahu said, "The threats we face are real.Not only our own security, but also the security of the region."Netanyahu continued,"We are working together to address these threats."When asked about Turkey,Netanyahu said,"We are in contact with Turkey."He noted thatthey are looking for ways to improve relations.The leaders also discussed energy cooperation.They emphasized the importance of the EastMed pipeline project.

The summit concluded with a joint statement.

The leaders expressed their satisfaction with the progress made.They agreed to hold the next summit in the GASC.The trilateral format is seen as a key pillar of regional stability.The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the partnership.They also discussed regional developments.The meeting was held in a positive atmosphere.The leaders expressed their shared vision for the region. our countries aswell, butthe vital maritime routes and critical infrastructure that the global economydepends on, we are defending them as well," he said. Netanyahu added, "To those who dream of re-establishing empires and asserting dominance over our lands, I say this:forget it. It will not happen. Do not evencross ityour mind. We are determined to defend ourselvesand we are in a position to do so. Our cooperation further strengthens this capacity.Asthree true democracies in the Eastern Mediterranean, we will carry security,prosperity, and freedomforwardtogether," he stated.

"WEARENOTSEEKINGCONFLICTWITHANYONE"

In response to a question at the press conference regarding what the messagesto Turkey were,Netanyahu said,"We are not seeking conflict with anyone.I can speak for Israel, and I can say this on behalf of my two partners here; no onewants conflict. On the contrary, as we have all expressed, we are seeking stability, prosperity, and peace. Of course, each of usis determined to defend our country.At the same time, we are committed to international norms and the rule of law.We are working together to ensure that these values prevail. within the framework of our common maritime routesand other elements. I think it isclear that thisisa coalition formedfor norms and stability, and we hope it will not have to be tested,he said.OUR GENERAL EXPECTATIONS FROM IRAN HAVE NOT CHANGED

"OUR GENERAL"

When asked about his expectations from US President Donald Trump regarding Iran, Netanyahu said,"We have achieved significant successes in the Rising Lion operation against Iran and in the 12-day war with Iran.Our general expectations from Iran have not changed.Expectations regarding enrichment levels, other activities, and the end of the proxy wars waged against us have not changed. We know that this has not changed for the US either.Therefore, this issue will certainly be part of our discussions,he said. On the other hand, Netanyahu noted that his meeting with Trumpwill bean opportunity to address these matters.He emphasized that the alliance is committed to defending its interests.Theleaders also discussed regional security.Theyreiterated their commitment to cooperation.

The summit concluded with a joint statement.The leaders expressed their shared vision for the region.stated that the focus of their discussions would be Gaza and the second phase of the peace plan. Netanyahu also indicated that issues regarding Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis would be apriority.

Christodoulides, for his part, stated that the trilateral format between Israel, Greece, and the Republic of Cyprushas matured and that cooperation is deepening in many areas such as energy, security, defense, maritime affairs, and innovation.He said thatthis is the case.

Statingthat they also discussed the peace plan for Gaza and humanitarian aid during the meeting, Christodoulides noted that they reiterated their support for President Trump's 20-point plan and the full implementation of the United Nations (UN) Security Council resolutionsregarding the situation in Gaza. The Greek Cypriot leader said, "Cyprus, as you know, continues to supporthumanitarian aid, security, and recovery efforts through the six-point plan we first presented at the Sharm el-Sheikh meeting in October, based on the Amalthea plan."He added thatthey continue to supportthese efforts.

Stating thatthe submarine electricity cable project that will extend from the Greek island of Crete to the Republic of Cyprus and then to Israel was also at the center of the discussions, Christodoulides further emphasized that they confirmed the strategic importance of the Mediterranean connection of the IMEC project, an economic and logistics corridor aimed at connecting India to Europe via the Middle East.Heemphasized that these projectsserve as agateway to the southeast, connecting Europe to the Middle East andbeyond. He said, "These initiatives strengthen not only our trilateralbut also our regional cooperation." He added thatthese projectsare ofstrategic importance. These initiativesnot onlystrengthen ourtrilateral ties but also ourregional cooperation."

Today's summit comes eight days before the Republic of Cyprus assumes the EU presidency.The summit is significant.Pointing out thatit has become a reality, the Greek Cypriot leader said, "We had the opportunity to exchange views, taking into account the fact that we consider it a priority for the EU, in particular, to further strengthen its relations with the region,including Israel.""OUR COOPERATIONCARRIESSTRATEGICWEIGHT"Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakisstated that this was the 10th

trilateral summit between Greece, the GASC, andIsrael, adding, "The situationwas very differentwhen we last met in 2023.We have now entered a new geopolitical phase.While this situation carries serious risks,it also presents an important window of opportunityto shape a regional security architectureand create a framework that will ensure peace and prosperity.In this context,we arecommitted todeepening ourcooperation."

The leadersemphasized that the trilateral partnership is not directed against any third party,but rather aims to promote stability and development in the Eastern Mediterranean.They also discussedenergy cooperation, including the potential for natural gas exportsto Europe.The summit concludedwith a joint statement. our trilateralcooperation carries an evengreater strategicweight," he said.

Statingthat today's meetingaddressed the steps to be taken in Gaza, Mitsotakis said,"I believe thatfollowing the two-yearwar, a new opportunityhas emerged following President Trump's personal engagement. 

Advancing the 20-point peace plan and moving to the second phase of an agreementmust be a shared responsibility," he stated.

Statingthat they confirmedtheir support for Lebanon's stability and also discussed Syria, Mitsotakis said, "One year after the fallof the Assad regime,weemphasizedtheimportance ofrestoring securityand stability,as well as full respect for the rights of all religious and ethnic communities."Mitsotakisstated that the protection of Christian Orthodox communitiesin Syria and the MiddleEast must be a fundamental elementfor a lasting political solution.Mitsotakissaid that the electrical

interconnector that will link Greece, the ROC, and Israel remains a shared priority.The Greek leaderalso noted that the IMEC corridor would connect India,the Middle East, Israel, Cyprus, and Europe.stating that it offers great value, and that they see great potential in this project.