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Good morning.

There's a number of important topics on today's agenda. Agenda. I'll be focusing on three of those.

First, on the situation in the Middle East.

Cyprus condemns in the strongest possible terms, the attacks by the Houthis against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

In addition to that,

the developing situation in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz is having a suffocating effect on global trade.

Cyprus believes and insists on the application of UNCLS of public international law in order to ensure freedom of navigation in a way that is actually making navigation free.

As regards now a second topic on the agenda relating to the security dimension of enlargement, namely,

this relates to how the EU's security can be enhanced through the enlargement process and through the accession process that is that's part and parcel of that.

Cyprus is a strong believer in the enlargement process, provided that that has been conducted on the merit-based approach.

If that is not the case, then we will not be enhancing our security,

but we will be downgrading the security potential of our European Union.

In relation to this,

I will be also briefing the Council as regards the memorandum memorandum of understanding between Turkey and the illegal cessationist entity in the occupied part of Cyprus.

This is a memorandum aiming to construct an underwater natural gas pipeline in clear violation of international law and of the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus.

Unfortunately, this forms part of a broader pattern of Turkey.

Just in July and August,

we have documented and reported to the UN 659 violations of our airspace and also in our exclusive economic zone.

This is also unfortunately an approach fully in line with Turkey's lack of alignment with common foreign security policy which right now stands at just 4%. I repeat, 4% for a candidate country.

We therefore encourage Turkey to see the European Union path as an opportunity for them.

And not as a debt owed to them. Thank you.