Two strategic deals in 24 hours
Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos highlighted on Tuesday the particular importance for Cyprus of the recent agreements signed with the UAE and France. Speaking after the Cabinet meeting, he noted that “the conclusion of two strategic‑level agreements by the Republic of Cyprus within twenty‑four hours is not something usual”. He stressed that each agreement has its own weight, yet both fit into a broader diplomatic vision.
Part of a wider diplomatic line
Kombos said each of the two agreements carries its own significance but “they are linked by an ‘imaginary diplomatic line’”, along with what preceded them a few months ago with the visit of the Indian Prime Minister. He described the deals as “a clear reflection of the diplomatic approach of the Republic of Cyprus”. He recalled that the government, from the outset, set as a basic driving goal the expansion of Cyprus’ footprint, the strengthening and use of its credibility, and the promotion of the country’s role as a bridge between the wider region and the EU.
“The two agreements of the last hours with the United Arab Emirates and France precisely capture the implementation of this approach,” the Minister said. He referred to the UAE as a major regional player with global influence and to France as an EU member state and permanent member of the UN Security Council. He also underlined that these developments come just days before the Republic of Cyprus assumes the Presidency of the Council of the EU.
Action plans, not just declarations
Kombos pointed out that, unlike many cases in the past, these agreements come with concrete action plans. These plans, he said, include specific activities and a structured dialogue between the countries, “going beyond political declarations, which are particularly important”. He noted that the texts refer to the Cyprus issue and other matters that are critical for the Cypriot side.
Beyond the wording, “we now have an action plan, a structured dialogue with specific projects to be examined, with the aim of implementing them within a dialogue that is now set on a concrete and targeted track,” he explained. Such results, he added, do not occur “in a political vacuum” but require preparation, method, work, continuity and consistency to maximise implementation.
Cyprus within partners’ core interests
The Minister stressed that no one should see such agreements as automatic. “It is not self‑evident that these countries, the UAE and France, conclude such agreements in an automated way,” he said. “They are not countries that overlook their own interests.” The fact that the Republic of Cyprus falls within their wider sphere of interests “has its own particular significance,” he noted.
Kombos added that practical implementation would not be possible without a solid institutional basis. The agreements themselves, he said, create certainty and security both for investors and at the political level, “so that we can have a targeted, cumulative series of actions” ultimately serving the interests of all parties. He underlined that this external track closely links with what happens in domestic governance, describing the two as “two sides of the same coin”.
Economy, credibility and long‑term goals
According to the Minister, Cyprus could not have gained such trust and credibility “if the economy did not enjoy the positive situation it is in, creating a favourable investment environment and interest”. He described these elements as “communicating vessels” and pledged that the government will continue efforts “with credibility and stability” to implement to the maximum all that has been launched or set in motion for in‑depth discussion within a structured dialogue.
Kombos said the benefit for Cyprus is obvious: the Republic, which some describe as “defunct”, appears active on the international stage alongside countries of particular weight for different reasons. He mentioned specific areas of deepening, such as defence issues with France and broader connectivity and trade corridors. “One can, for example, refer to IMEC,” he said, arguing that various issues “connect along an imaginary diplomatic line”.
He cautioned that Cyprus still stands at the beginning of this effort and must not ignore a key parameter: without institutional anchoring, the use of trust and the launch of a political dialogue linked to specific projects in priority sectors, “no one can reach the end point, the final result”. In his view, this gap “was very often our mistake in the way we operated” in the past, when Cyprus set very high goals and expected rapid implementation “before the necessary preparatory work had taken place”.
Also read: Cyprus and France to sign strategic partnership agreement
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