A statement released by the Italian Foreign Ministry emphasizes that during the meeting, held the day before at the headquarters of that organization, both ministers discussed the current challenges in the Mediterranean region.

During this exchange, the need to promote stability in that area was assessed, and in particular the importance of restoring the ceasefire in Gaza, as well as supporting reconstruction in both the Strip and Syria, the report emphasizes.

Kombos expressed his gratitude to Italy for the “Food for Gaza” initiative, in which Cyprus participated in the past, facilitating operations aimed at providing humanitarian support to the Palestinians living in that territory, where more than 46,000 people died as a result of the Israeli aggression.

Among the topics discussed by both foreign ministers during their meeting were the analysis of efforts to relaunch the competitiveness of the European Union (EU) and plans to strengthen security and strategic autonomy, key issues during the upcoming Cypriot presidency of the regional community.

Both ministers also agreed on the priority of accelerating the integration of the Western Balkans into the EU and on the need to work together to find innovative solutions and promote orderly management of external borders, in the interest of addressing the migration problem, the source added.

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