Greece, Cyprus and Israel will hold their first Trilateral Meeting on diaspora issues on March 6, in Jerusalem, Presidential Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Overseas Cypriots Photis Photiou said on Tuesday after talks he held in Nicosia with the Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Terens Quick.
Photiou said that a Greece-Cyprus-Israel Trilateral Meeting will also take place, probably this summer, with the participation of representatives of the three countries` diaspora organizationss, and that they are also working with a view to establish a similar cooperation with Armenia, with which Greece and Cyprus will soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding.
The Commissioner said that the delegations of Greece and Cyprus that met on Tuesday in Nicosia agreed to establish a working committee that will coordinate the implementation of their updated Memorandum of Cooperation on overseas community issues signed recently between the two countries. He also noted that they agreed to create an Overseas Hellenism Academic Council.
On his part, Quick said that Greece and Cyprus can gain a lot from their trilateral cooperation with Israel and noted that he recently met with American Jewish Committee Chief Executive Office David Harris who will visit Cyprus this week.
Quick also noted that a bill will soon be tabled before the Hellenic Parliament with a view to establish 9th February as the World Day of Greek Language.
In his statements Photiou noted that the two countries` delegations discussed concrete actions with a view to further enhance and deepen their already excellent relations on issues related to overseas Hellenism.
He said that Greece and Cyprus work together promoting their national interests and stressed the pivotal role of overseas Hellenism in this effort.
Photiou noted that overseas oganisations of the two countries must be supported and encouraged in their effort to influence decision-makers abroad and especially in the US, the UK and other European countries.
He also elaborated on the actions taken with a view to support young overseas Cypriots and Greeks and to urge overseas businesspeople to contribute in attracting investments both in Cyprus and Greece or become investors themselves.
Photiou also noted that Cyprus is ready to participate in all actions concerning the establishment of the World Day of Greek Language and support this effort.
Furthermore, he said that he informed Quick on developments regarding the issue of missing persons in Cyprus, adding that they agreed that a concrete effort will be made, in cooperation with the Hellenic diaspora, to further update the international community and the foreign governments on this issue.
Responding to a question, Photiou said that the organizations of overseas Greeks, Cypriots and Israelis in the US will soon sign memoranda of understanding, adding that “as the national centres we will give them the guidelines and support this initiative.” He added that a similar effort is underway in the UK.
In his statements, Quick stressed the need to take measures so that the young members of the overseas community learn the Greek language.
He also noted that the updated Memorandum of Cooperation between Greece and Cyprus on overseas community issues constitutes a golden opportunity for their overseas organizations everywhere in the world to cooperate in various issues “and to be able to mobilize Hellenism in promoting our national issues.”
