On Wednesday, Cyprus and the United States began their first strategic dialogue in Nicosia, which was an important step in bilateral relations between the two countries.

Foreign Minister Konstantinos Kombos, speaking at the Presidential Palace with Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O’Brien, stressed the emerging strategic partnership between the two countries in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East.

“This day marks a joint commitment to closer and stronger cooperation between our two countries, contributing to a safer, more stable and prosperous region,” Combos said.

The dialogue covers various sectors, including security, defense, crisis management, law enforcement, energy, education, cultural trade and investment. This initiative has become a top priority since President Christodoulides took office.

O’Brien described the meeting as a “historic event,” saying success would be measured by “whether their people feel safer and more prosperous, and whether societies can promote their values.”

Several key developments were highlighted during the talks, including the Cyprus Maritime Corridor Initiative, the ESTIA evacuation plan and the Cyclops Training Center in Larnaca, which trained hundreds of regional border and cybersecurity officials.

Combos noted that the lifting of restrictions on U.S. defense trade with Cyprus in 2020 was an important milestone, adding that efforts should be focused on extending the waiver restriction period.

The dialogue also discussed potential cooperation between the Cypriot police and the FBI in the fight against illegal financing and sanctions evasion. Plans were discussed to sign a memorandum of understanding on the Fulbright program for English language assistant students, while Cyprus hopes to be included in the US visa waiver program in the coming months.

O’Brien highlighted the recently signed defense cooperation roadmap as an important step forward in security cooperation, noting that the dialogue would strengthen bilateral ties in many sectors.

The meeting highlighted the role of Cyprus as what Combos called a “point of reference in terms of stability” in a region characterized by instability and complexity.

A source:  kiprinform.com

https://russiancyprus.news/news/society/kipr-i-ssha-nachali-pervyy-strategichesk/