Foreign ministers Marco Rubio in Washington and Constantinos Kombos in Nicosia will be key to implementing the defence cooperation between the United States and Cyprus, following President Joe Biden’s decree granting Cyprus access to US weapons.
Nicosia considers it significant that decisions will be channelled through both foreign ministries, where strong communication channels already exist.
The Christodoulides government expressed full satisfaction with Biden’s presidential decree, which allows for significant advancement in defence cooperation between the two nations.
Government officials who spoke publicly on the matter maintained measured expectations about the agreement. Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas told state broadcaster CyBC that “Cyprus’s geostrategic position and role, which exceeds its size, is being recognised, but this does not imply arrogance”.
The National Guard will prepare a prioritised list of requirements across all branches of the Republic’s armed forces to present to the American side. Cyprus plans to focus on compatibility between the two countries’ defence systems and operational activities during military exercises involving both forces, as well as third parties.
Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos, speaking to Alpha TV, said Nicosia expects multiple benefits from the agreement. He noted that while the matters concern defence equipment and programmes, requests would be processed through both countries’ foreign ministries, depending on programme availability.
Nicosia appears unconcerned about the leadership change in the White House as it believes it will not affect Biden’s decision. Kombos indicated that US defence and security matters typically remain consistent across administrations. The appointment of Marco Rubio, who is familiar with both the region and Cyprus, as head of US diplomacy is seen as providing additional assurance for the decision’s implementation.
Government spokesman Constantinos Letymbiotis explained that the presidential decision allows Cyprus to participate in the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme, enabling direct procurement of defence systems and services from the US government. He also noted that the Excess Defense Articles (EDA) programme would provide access to surplus US military equipment, either as donations or at significantly reduced prices.
Responding to a statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Letymbiotis said Cyprus has been under occupation for 50 years with over 40,000 Turkish troops illegally present, emphasising that Cyprus’s armament programme focuses on defensive protection and its humanitarian role in the Eastern Mediterranean region.
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