US and Cyprus launch a strategic dialogue to bolster security

NICOSIA, Cyprus — U.S. and Cypriot officials on Wednesday launched a strategic dialogue they said would bolster security and stability in a crisis-wracked region through initiatives including counterterrorism training of personnel from Middle Eastern countries and fighting sanctions evasion.

“It is a big moment in the relationship between our countries and to be part of this feels like being part of an historic occasion,” U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O’Brien said at a news conference.

Cyprus’ clear policy shift toward deepening U.S. relations after decades of walking a tightrope between Washington and Moscow gained added steam after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

The U.S. official pointed to a U.S.-funded center on the island nation under the acronym CYCLOPS that trains personnel from Cyprus and neighboring countries on maritime and cybersecurity as well as counterterrorism techniques.

Cyprus' Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos said his government remains committed to a partnership between local law enforcement, the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI in combating illicit finance and the evasion of sanctions against Russia and other countries.

The FBI is helping train Cypriot police in identifying and prosecuting cases of illegal financing and attempts to evade U.S., European Union and U.N. sanctions imposed on any third country.

“It’s dealing with crises like we see from the instability in the region,” O’Brien said. “It’s law enforcement cooperation on the sanctions enforcement and other cooperation so that we keep our people safe.”

Kombos said the start of the dialogue affords Cyprus the opportunity to demonstrate that it's a credible strategic partner to the U.S. regarding humanitarian initiatives including the establishment earlier this year of a Cyprus-Gaza maritime corridor for the shipborne delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory.

Last month, Cyprus and the U.S. signed a defense cooperation framework agreement that outlines ways the two countries can enhance their response to regional humanitarian crises and security concerns.