“I thank my friends President Katerina Sakellaropoulou of Greece and President Nicos Anastasiades of Cyprus for the warm invitations. In my meetings in both countries, I shall discuss with the leadership and senior government officials steps to broaden and deepen the rich collaboration between our nations. In particular, we will discuss possibilities for regional collaboration in the Mediterranean Basin in the fight against the climate crisis,’’ said Herzog ahead of his state visits.

 

Israeli President Isaac Herzog will leave on state visits to Greece and Cyprus ahead of his planned visit to Turkey next month.

The Turks have been informed of Herzog’s visits to Greece and Cyprus and have welcomed them.

Next Thursday  the president will visit Athens at the invitation of Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou. The following week he will travel to Cyprus and meet with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades.

During his visit in Greece, President Herzog will visit Athens and hold diplomatic meetings with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, other senior officials, and members of the Greek Jewish community.

He will begin his state visit by laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, after which he will be received at the Presidential Mansion with a state ceremony and will meet President Katerina Sakellaropoulou. Later in the day, the President will meet the Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament, Konstantinos Tasoulas, and Greek Opposition Leader and former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. The President will conclude his visit with a meeting with representatives of the Greek Jewish community before making his way back to Israel.

In Cyprus, President Isaac Herzog will be received with a state welcoming ceremony at which both nations’ anthems will be played, after which he will hold a private meeting with President Nicos Anastasiades and then an expanded bilateral meeting with the participation of both delegations, during which both presidents will make statements. President Herzog will also be hosted at a state lunch at the invitation of the President of Cyprus.

“I thank my friends President Katerina Sakellaropoulou of Greece and President Nicos Anastasiades of Cyprus for the warm invitations. In my meetings in both countries, I shall discuss with the leadership and senior government officials steps to broaden and deepen the rich collaboration between our nations. In particular, we will discuss possibilities for regional collaboration in the Mediterranean Basin in the fight against the climate crisis,’’ said Herzog ahead of his state visits.

He added, “Israel, Greece, and Cyprus are partners in an alliance of stability in the Mediterranean. These state visits are expressions of the profound friendship between our peoples and of our strategic partnership, reflected in the ongoing discussions that I have had from the first day of my Presidency with Greek President Sakellaropoulou, Prime Minister Mitsotakis, whom I recently hosted for a friendly discussion during his visit in Israel, President Anastasiades of Cyprus, and their teams.”

The Israeli President  will visit Turkey in mid-March, Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan said earlier this month as Ankara looks to improve strained bilateral relations between the two countries.

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