Cyprus is not a party to the conflict in the Middle East but is already suffering its economic consequences, Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos said in an interview with CNN, as he called on the European Union to step up its diplomatic efforts toward de-escalation.
Speaking to CNN’s Becky Anderson, Kombos said security measures had been reinforced following the drone attack on the British bases on the island. He stressed, however, that normal life had fully resumed.
Flight disruptions had ended, and schools, the public sector and the private sector were all operating as usual, he said.
European partners had responded to requests from the Cypriot government by deploying ships and aircraft to the region, which Kombos described as a remarkable show of solidarity and support.
He added, however, that greater EU engagement on the diplomatic front was needed. “It’s important that the European Union is more present in terms of the diplomatic efforts for de-escalation and for a diplomatic solution, an end to war,” he said.
Kombos was unequivocal that Cyprus had no role in the hostilities. “We are part of this geography and at the same time we are not part of the conflict — I want to make this absolutely clear,” he said.
As the EU member state geographically closest to the fighting, and as current holder of the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, Cyprus has a particular stake in regional stability, he added.
The minister said the conflict was already making itself felt on the island through its impact on maritime security, energy costs, supply chains and the broader economy, rejecting the notion that the EU risked being “dragged into” the war. “We are already suffering from the consequences,” he said.
Asked about US requests regarding the use of British bases in Cyprus, Kombos said he was not in a position to speak on Britain’s behalf, but noted that the British had made clear they were participating only in defensive operations.
Kombos said he had returned from the UAE earlier that day and would be travelling back to the region within days. He described Cyprus’s ties with Gulf Cooperation Council countries as deep, strong and historical, and said the EU as a whole needed to show solidarity with those partners at the current time.