Greece, Israel and Cyprus have interoperable defence systems that contribute to security in the region, Minister says
There is interoperability among the defence systems of Cyprus, Israel and Greece, which contributes significantly to the security of the wider region, Defence Minister Vassilis Palmas said on Monday. He also said that the parade to be held on October 1 in Nicosia to mark Cyprus’ Independence Day anniversary will be upgraded.
Asked after the signing ceremony of a memorandum of cooperation between the Ministry and the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KEBE), whether Cyprus could join the bilateral Greece-Israel on the “Achilles Shield” agreement, Palmas said “this is a bilateral agreement between Greece and Israel. Αll three countries, Greece, Israel and Cyprus, have the same defence weapons system. Therefore, there is interoperability, which is a positive development for the security of the wider region from a geopolitical perspective.”
At the same time, he noted that “these three countries have one thing in common: they do not have good relations with Turkey. It is well known why Cyprus does not have good relations with Turkey. In Greece, we observe on a daily basis what is happening at sea and in the air, while it is also clear that tensions between Israel and Turkey are escalating.”
“We are a democratic and peaceful country that has never been involved in any incident related to armed conflict. At the same time, however, we are a semi-occupied country, and we have the duty and the obligation vis-a-vis our citizens to ensure, to the greatest extent possible, the deterrent capability for the island,” he added.
Palmas also noted that “while some countries in the region are at odds with each other, Cyprus is in a position to engage with all of them, with the exception of Turkey, for obvious reasons.”
“Therefore, we have a role to play, while at the same time we are the only country in the Eastern Mediterranean region that is a member of the European Union,” the Minister added.
Asked whether new weapons systems would be featured during the Oct. 1 parade, Palmas said: “We will see an upgraded parade, that will be different compared to previous year and I urge everyone to attend and watch it.”
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.