Let's shake narrative of bickering Middle East, say former foes

Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides, Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, Greece's Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser of UAE's President, attend a joint news conference in Paphos, Cyprus April 16, 2021. Iakovos Hatzistavrou/Pool via REUTERS

PAPHOS, Cyprus (Reuters) - Israel, the UAE, Greece and Cyprus said they would seek to deepen their cooperation in fields ranging from energy to fighting COVID, saying budding ties could change the face of a region more synonymous with conflict.

"The evolving web of regional cooperation is creating a new narrative, one that is cracking the glass ceiling of the prevailing (one) of our neighbourhood as a region of turmoil, conflict and crisis," said Cypriot Foreign Minister and host Nikos Christodoulides.