NATO’s Absorption of Cyprus Welcomed By US

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Stefanos Evripidou
Cyprus Mail

The United States welcomes Cyprus’ commitment to strengthen ties with the transatlantic security organisation NATO, US ambassador to Nicosia John Koenig said earlier this week. He also called for a careful planning of the new government’s stated goal of joining NATO’s anteroom, the Partnership for Peace (PfP) programme, to ensure a positive effect on EU-NATO relations.

Speaking after an hour-long meeting with President Nicos Anastasiades at the Presidential Palace, the US diplomat said Washington is very interested in developing cooperation between the two countries.

   “And as President Anastasiades has made clear repeatedly both during the campaign and since becoming president that he is committed to strengthening the relationship between Cyprus and the United States and anchoring Cyprus more firmly in the transatlantic set of key relationships, this is something that we welcome and look forward to developing closely with him and his administration in the coming years,” Koenig said.

The previous government of Demetris Christofias was vociferously against applying for membership of PfP or developing any relationship with the North American-European security organisation NATO which the former ruling party AKEL blames in a large part for the Greek coup of 1974, and subsequent invasion and occupation of Cyprus’ northern third.

At a separate event to award Cypriot national guardsmen trained by US experts on managing ordnance stockpiles, Koenig said the US salutes Cyprus’ stated interest in moving closer to the NATO Alliance.

   “We believe that things like membership in Partnership for Peace need to be prepared carefully to ensure a productive and positive effect on our relations and on NATO-EU cooperation that we all seek,” he said.

The Cyprus conflict has been a constant obstacle in enhancing NATO-EU relations since the island joined the bloc in 2004, with Turkey refusing to allow Cyprus to sit in on EU-NATO discussions while for its part, Cyprus blocks Turkey’s membership of the European Defence Agency.