The following are excerpts from Deputy Foreign Minister Spyros Kouvelis’ speech at the Forum “Cyprus: Gateway for Greek enterprises to the Arab world”, held in Nicosia on 7 and 8 February 2011.
· “When I got Cyprus, they asked me if there was any point in an event like this at a time when the southeastern Mediterranean is in the climate of uncertainty and important geopolitical changes are very probably taking place. And I answer that this is the precise moment when there is a point: that whatever happens in Egypt, you – as entrepreneurs – will try to secure a dynamic role. This is exactly what we are trying to support. Scaling down would send the wrong message.”
· “Our basic goal is to have economic diplomacy emerge as a central part – a key tool – of the country’s foreign policy, with emphasis on green development, in combination with the energy and development orientation.”
· “Due to its geographical position, Cyprus will very likely become a leading player in promotion of the goals of an upgraded Euro-Mediterranean cooperation, with emphasis on green, sustainable development and clean investments, which, as we all know, are the goals of specific actions of the European Union and the European Investment Bank.”
· “Since our government came to office, we’ve set a very important goal: to revitalize Greece’s economic and business cooperation with the Arab countries.”
· “With its network of missions abroad, the Foreign Ministry actively supports and assists the initiatives and actions of Associations and public and private agencies, like today’s initiative from the Eurobank Group; initiatives aimed at strengthening the Greek economy’s externalization and dynamic relaunching.”
February 7, 2011