Saudi Arabia offers ‘full support’ to Cyprus amid Eastern Mediterranean tensions

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman received on Sunday the Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides.
They discussed bilateral relations between the two countries and ways of enhancing and developing them. They also reviewed regional and international issues of common concern.
Christodoulides also met with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, in his office at the foreign ministry in Riyadh.
Prince Faisal stressed the depth of relations between the two countries, and the keenness to develop them in several fields to serve the common interests.
“The Kingdom is following with great interest the current developments in the Eastern Mediterranean region, is showing its concern for security and stability there, and stresses its full support for the sovereignty of Cyprus over its territories.”
He said Saudi Arabia “calls on all parties to abide by and adhere to Security Council resolutions to resolve disputes, to avoid escalation, to respect the rules of international law and not to interfere in the internal affairs of states or attempts to impose the status quo by force, as that does not serve international peace, security and stability in this region.”
Cyprus has been angered by Turkey’s bid to drill for natural gas amid heightened tensions over energy reserves in the eastern Mediterranean.
On Sunday, Cyprus accused Turkey of flouting international law as in sent ships to drill inside an exploration area that’s already licensed to energy companies Eni of Italy and Total of France.