Nicosia, Cyprus. Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos said on Sunday that Cyprus’ role as a bridge with the region is a continuation of the Informal European Council, adding that the scope of the country’s neighborhood has now expanded to include Saudi Arabia and India.
He said broadening Nicosia’s geopolitical footprint was set as a central foreign policy goal from the day President Nikos Christodoulides took office.
Trade chain vulnerabilities
Speaking to Politis after this week’s informal foreign ministers meeting, which included the ministers of India and Saudi Arabia, Kombos said participants discussed weaknesses identified in the international trade system, particularly supply chain issues, and how they could be addressed in the future.
He said the talks also concerned the India Middle East Europe Corridor, known as IMEC, as well as additional ideas that have been discussed more intensively because of the war in the region. He added that it was important to raise these possibilities at European Union level.
IMEC and Cyprus
Kombos said IMEC remains a highly ambitious idea that has not yet moved beyond the stage of being a feasible project for a number of reasons.
He said Cyprus aspires to be one of the entry points into Europe and stressed that this is not being presented as an exclusive role, but as an effort that should take a specific form.
The IMEC initiative aims to connect India to Europe via the Middle East through transport, energy and digital links, and has been widely viewed as a possible alternative trade route that could strengthen supply chain resilience.
Turkey and regional cooperation
Asked about Turkey’s role, the foreign minister said the government does not view foreign policy as a zero-sum exercise.
He said Cyprus does not compete with anyone and seeks to read geopolitical realities realistically, while ensuring that its diplomatic activity delivers concrete results in the interest of the state and the Cypriot people. He added that it is the neighboring country that operates with exclusions.
Relations with Saudi Arabia
On cooperation with Saudi Arabia, Kombos said more effort is needed in commercial ties, including through the private sector, to match the strong political level of relations.