Cyprus has the capability to act as a bridge between the countries of the wider Eastern Mediterranean region and the European Union having security, stability, peace and co-operation in the region as a goal, Defence Minister Christoforos Fokaides has said.
In statements after a conference of the European College on Defence and Security, which took place in a coastal hotel in Larnaca, he said that Cyprus as a host had the opportunity to also invite representatives from Israel.
“This is precisely the role we want to portray, that is to say Cyprus` capability of acting as a bridge between the countries of the wider Eastern Mediterranean region and the European Union with a view to promoting security, stability, peace and cooperation in the region as a whole”, he said.
He further noted that last week the European Defence Organisation Executive Director visited Cyprus and that during his visit a very important European conference on matters of maritime security will take place next November in Cyprus. Countries of the wider Eastern Mediterranean region will be invited to take part in the conference at the highest level, he added.
Fokaides said that there are ongoing multifaceted initiatives on both a trilateral and a bilateral level which show the stabilising role Cyprus can play, to serve both its interests but also those of the region and the EU.
Cyprus has recently undertaken a systematic effort to upgrade its role in the area of security and defence policy in Europe, he pointed out.
Replying to a question he said that Cyprus in its capacity as full member state participates as an equal in all EU pillars
