The defense ministers of Egypt, Cyprus and Greece held a meeting in Cairo on June 20 during which they discussed military cooperation to overcome joint security challenges and threats, especially those related to their interests in the Eastern Mediterranean, which is rich in oil and gas resources.

Egyptian Minister of Defense Mohamed Zaki stressed during the meeting the importance of supporting means of cooperation and partnership with Cyprus and Greece, which he said would help bring about security and stability in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean.

Zaki also praised the fruitful cooperation between Egypt, Cyprus and Greece over the past years and the joint coordination on all issues affecting the three countries’ interests.

On the sidelines of the tripartite meeting, Zaki discussed with Greek Defense Minister Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos the latest developments on the regional and international scenes and their repercussions on security and stability in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean and ways to enhance cooperation and relations between the two countries’ armed forces.