There will be developments very soon concerning Cyprus’ relations with the United States of America, President of Republic Nikos Christodoulides has said a few days after his meeting with outgoing US President Joe Biden in the White House.

President Christodoulides gave an interview to Greek daily “Ta Nea” while on a visit to Greece, where he spoke about his meeting with the US President, in the first visit of a Cypriot Head of State in the White House after 28 years.

Asked if any upcoming developments should be expected in bilateral relations, Christodoulides said “absolutely, in the coming period.”

“There will be specific developments very soon, which will strengthen, will consolidate, or if you will, will institutionalise the cooperation with the US on issues of defence and security,” the President said.

He pointed out that apart from defence and security, there is “a cooperation we have developed especially for tackling corruption with a positive response by the US in our request for an FBI mission in Cyprus, which will boost Cyprus’ efforts to lead cases, if evidence emerge, to Justice.”

Christodoulides’ visit to the White House came days after the launch of the strategic dialogue with the US held in Nicosia.

“Of course, a part of the strategic dialogue with the US is trade and economic ties and attracting American investments in Cyprus,” he added, pointing out that during the meeting with Biden they discussed possible investments in the field of energy.”

“And I am not solely referring to natural gas where investments from Chevron and EXXON are taking place but to the issue of the Cyprus-Greece interconnection and renewable energy,” he said, adding that cooperation could develop in issues of technology and innovation.

Invited for an appraisal of the visit, the President said that “a broad conclusion is our cooperation with the US goes beyond political issues touching upon the rest of the fields.”

“In this context we should expect developments in various issues such as the visa waiver programme for all Cypriot citizens (travelling) to the USA as well as American investments in large projects in Cyprus,” he stressed.

Moreover in an interview with New York Times immediately after his meeting in the White House with Biden, Christodoulides expressed concern over a possible “step back to isolation” by the US which is at the climax of the presidential elections to be held next Tuesday, in the midst of the ongoing war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East.

“There is always a fear that you could have an America stepping back, a kind of seclusion and isolation,” President Christodoulides said and added: “We’ve seen it in the past. That’s the main concern because the region is in turmoil right now. It’s extremely dangerous.”

Source: Parikiaki.com