Your Majesty, dear Nikos, it’s a great pleasure to convene once again for this 5th Trilateral Summit, and I would very much like to thank you, Your Majesty, for hosting us here, in beautiful Amman.
And indeed, this meeting is taking place at a critical juncture, not just for the Middle East but for the wider Gulf region. And this unfolding crisis is posing serious challenges, not just for regional peace and security, but it also has broader, profound repercussions that extend well beyond our neighbourhood and is certainly impacting all our economies.
And I think in this context, this trilateral meeting is sending a very clear and timely message. It’s a message of friendship. It’s a message of cooperation. It’s a message of unwavering commitment to international law and peaceful coexistence.
And in this spirit, Your Majesty, allow me to express our deep appreciation for your leadership. Jordan plays a crucial role as a pillar of stability in the region, and your custodianship of the holy sites and your steadfast commitment to preserving the status quo are very much appreciated at a time when peaceful coexistence of religious communities is of paramount importance. And I know how much importance you place in this particular issue.
As Nikos mentioned, Greece and Cyprus, Cyprus and Greece serve as a natural bridge between Jordan, the Middle East, the Gulf countries and the European Union. Congratulations to Nikos on hosting a very successful Summit in Cyprus.
And we at the European Council, Your Majesty, have constantly been advocating to our EU partners for a comprehensive, what we call a “360-degree approach”. Your security, your prosperity is intrinsically linked to ours, and what’s happening in the Eastern Mediterranean and in your region is very important to the security and prosperity of the European Union as a whole.
I believe that our partnership has already delivered important, tangible results. It has contributed to growth and prosperity for our people. But I think we can aim much higher. The agenda is broad, as it should be. We can cooperate more on energy, on investment, on connectivity, on defence, on tourism, on climate action.
Thank you, Your Majesty, for always standing with Greece. You’ve done so systematically when we had to face problems with wildfires during the past summers, issues such as water management, culture. These all bind us and bring us closer together.
We will, of course, have an opportunity to exchange views on regional developments. I’ve just come from Abu Dhabi. The situation in the broader region is obviously particularly concerning. Maybe there’s reason for some cautious optimism, but I think it’s important now to ensure that we all call for de-escalation and for a diplomatic path forward.
When it comes to the Strait of Hormuz, we want to be very clear: we need to return to the previous status quo. We have been strong advocates of defending the concept of the freedom of navigation. We’ve done so as non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. And I think this is an area of common priority for all our countries.
We will also have an opportunity to address the recent developments in Lebanon, where we support the government. The need to respect, fully respect the ceasefire, and the need for the government to have the capability to exercise its sovereignty over the entire country of Lebanon.
And on Gaza, I think it is crucial to move to the next phase of the peace plan – support the reform of the Palestinian Authority, and to remain firmly committed to the only viable path for lasting peace, which is a two-state solution.
Thank you very much, Your Majesty, for hosting us, and I’m looking forward to a fruitful exchange of views.
