President Isaac Herzog arrived in Cyprus on Thursday for a brief diplomatic visit, during which he met with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides.

The two leaders held a bilateral meeting and an expanded diplomatic discussion focused on strengthening relations and deepening cooperation between Israel and Cyprus.

“I grew up with a love for Cyprus, and it is always moving to visit here and see the growth and development of the country,” Herzog said. “Mr. President, you are a great friend of Israel, and we greatly appreciate the open, honest and deep dialogue between us.”

“My dream is that one day we will be able to meet here—the president of Lebanon, the president of Cyprus and the president of Israel,” Herzog continued. “I hope we can fulfill such a dream, because I believe we must move toward peace in the region while ensuring that terrorism is rejected and pushed away, and enabling the peoples and countries of the region to prosper together.”

“I bring with me a message of friendship from Israel, and I hope that together we can continue to deepen the unique partnership between our peoples and countries,” he added.

President Christodoulides welcomed Herzog back to Cyprus and said he looked forward to discussing ways to deepen the strategic partnership between the countries in all areas.

“We will also exchange views on regional developments and ways in which we can work together, including with other countries that share similar outlooks, in order to create conditions of stability and security,” Christodoulides said.

The Cypriot president also noted that a record number of flights arrived from Israel during the summer—more than 200 flights per week, compared to an average of approximately 140 flights per week in the past.

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