“Turkey is not excluded by the Republic of Cyprus,” Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos said in an interview with “Phileleftheros” newspaper, noting that Ankara has to choose “whether to insist on its self-exclusion” or not.
Kombos referred to the strengthening of Cyprus’ international presence and the expansion of its cooperation, as well as its relations with the wider Middle East in line with the priorities of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union over the next six months.
Asked what he considers to be the greatest success of Cyprus’ foreign policy in 2025, he said that the country’s foreign policy continues to focus on efforts to expand Cyprus’ diplomatic footprint with consistency, coherence, and continuity.
He added that as a bridge of stability between Europe and the wider Middle East, the Republic of Cyprus has concluded action plans for structured long-term dialogue with India, the United Kingdom, France, the United States of America, the United Arab Emirates, Kenya, Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Greece through intergovernmental cooperation, while also focusing on identifying and establishing relations with countries such as Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and all Gulf countries.
Asked why Cyprus insists on moving particularly towards countries in the Middle East and the Gulf, the Foreign Minister said that this is part of the country’s comparative advantage.
“We maintained balance and served Cyprus’ interests first and foremost. Tens of thousands of tons of humanitarian aid reached Gaza. We created an international humanitarian operation and alliance. We supported the evacuation of third-country nationals through Cyprus. We have the delimitation agreement with Lebanon, the free transfer of desalination units from the UAE, the Strategic Agreement with the UAE, the deepening of relations with Egypt and Jordan. We have opened up to Qatar and Saudi Arabia, stabilised relations with Central Asian countries, and expanded our footprint in Africa through the Aid,” he added.
Asked whether Cyprus’ European partners are listening when messages are conveyed to them from countries in the Eastern Mediterranean, Kombos said that, especially in recent years, the strengthening of the aforementioned efforts enhances Cyprus’s ability to convey accurately the positions, messages, and concerns of its regional partners in the Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East, and Gulf regions, and to act as a bridge between the European Union and the Middle East on these issues.
Asked about the role of the Cyprus EU Presidency in Nicosia’s foreign policy, the Minister said that the emphasis on the wider Middle East region will continue to be a priority of the foreign policy and that, in the context of the Presidency, the participation of leaders from the region in the Informal European Council in April is planned, while emphasis is also being placed on India’s role for the EU and announcements will soon be made in this regard.
Asked whether Turkish Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, will be invited to Limassol for the Gymnich meeting, Kombos referred to a public expression of intent on the part of the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, to invite the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to the informal European Council meeting with the participation of leaders of the region that is being planned.
“Turkey is not excluded from the Republic of Cyprus. But Turkey has to choose whether it will insist on its self-exclusion. We want Turkey to seize the opportunity, always in line with its obligations towards Cyprus,” he stressed.
Asked how foreign policy actions not only in Europe but also in Africa and Asia have contributed substantially to Cyprus’ efforts, the Foreign Minister said that all these efforts and contacts in the framework of the foreign policy tend to strengthen the diplomatic footprint of the Republic of Cyprus, “which is not defunct, but present internationally.”
“As a result, we seek to strengthen our capabilities and exercise Cyprus’ sovereignty and presence as a bulwark against Turkey’s stance and to assist in the effort to return to meaningful dialogue on the basis of the agreed framework, and the Resolutions of the United Nations Security Council,” he stressed.
Invited to comment on the controversy surrounding the Amalthea humanitarian corridor from Cyprus to Gaza, Kombos said that efforts to provide humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians in Gaza continued in 2025.
He added that there is currently the possibility of a systematic flow of aid to Gaza through the port of Ashdod, with the mechanism set up in cooperation with the United Nations and in particular UNOPS, adding that just a few days ago another shipment of 1,000 tons of humanitarian aid departed, has already been unloaded and is being distributed to the civilian population.
Asked about Cyprus’s relations with the United States and why the Visa Waiver Program has not progressed, the Minister said that relations with the United States of America continue to improve and that this year he had the opportunity to meet and talk with his American counterpart several times, most recently during his visit to the State Department.
“I believe that a comparison should be made with the level of relations in the distant past. We are consciously investing in the relationship. Without hesitation and knowing the difficult international environment that is undergoing restructuring,” he added.
Regarding the Visa Waiver Program, he said that Cyprus completed the technical preparatory work last July and is now awaiting the relevant internal US procedures.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Turkey, which is candidate for EU membership, does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus, an EU member state since 2004.