Greek Air Force F-16 fighter jets and a Greek Navy ship now have a permanent presence in Cyprus, Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas said. He added that Cyprus signed a new contract with Israel on 26 October to acquire an offshore warship.
Palmas made the comments to the website DEFENCE ReDEFiNED in Thessaloniki, where he was attending the 28 October celebrations. He said defence cooperation between Greece and Cyprus had moved “from slogans to political action”.
He described the level of cooperation between Athens and Nicosia as excellent in both the political and military spheres, noting that the two are states that come from the same nation.
Cypriot commandos took part in the Thessaloniki military parade. Palmas said their presence was both symbolic and substantive, because it showed the ties between the two countries in practice.
He also pointed to bilateral agreements and joint programmes, including under the EU’s SAFE regulation.
On procurement, Palmas cited Cyprus’s cooperation with European countries such as France, as well as with third countries, particularly Israel.
He said other procurement programmes planned to meet the needs of the National Guard would also come from Israel. These form part of efforts to strengthen the Republic of Cyprus’s deterrence capabilities.
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