On Friday, the Foreign Minister, Constantinos Kombos, stated that Cyprus’s role is to serve as a safety bridge in the region in the event of escalating tensions, leading countries to evacuate their citizens.
Minister Kombos was responding to journalists’ questions on the sidelines of the Conference of Cyprus Diaspora earlier on Friday.
When asked about the prevailing situation and Cyprus’s readiness to address it, Kombos described the regional situation as very challenging.
“There is a serious risk of further expansion of the conflict, which will undoubtedly affect the entire area,” he noted.
He highlighted that Cyprus is actively engaged in discussions to understand the situation precisely. “I have just returned from Egypt, where we had exactly these discussions,” he added.
Kombos emphasised that Cyprus’s role is to function as a safety bridge should the need arise for citizen evacuations.
He pointed out that the “Estia” plan has been activated for weeks. “All the necessary preparations are being made, and we are in contact with the diplomatic missions of foreign countries that may intend to evacuate their citizens if necessary, although we all hope this won’t be the case,” he stated.
“Therefore, we are preparing methodically to be able to address such a possibility,” he added.
When asked about the progress of the “Amalthea” initiative, Kombos replied that in the event of further escalation in the region, any issue related to sending aid to an area that would become even more dangerous needs to be approached cautiously.
Moreover, he noted that “we have proceeded with the planning phase together with the countries participating in this project to ensure that aid is delivered using a different methodology and an alternative approach, which is also in the preparation stages.”
However, he clarified that everyone’s attention is currently focused on the potential for further escalation in the region.
(information from CNA)
