In the context of its Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Republic of Cyprus will not only continue but also substantially strengthen its efforts to further enhance the European Union's relations with the countries of the wider Middle East region, taking advantage of our geographical position, our political credibility, and our long-standing knowledge of the region's particularities, all of which constitute advantages in terms of responsibility and added value, both for Europe itself and for the region, the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, said in a written statement on Thursday.