President Nikos Christodoulides held an extended phone call with the British Prime Minister on Friday at the latter’s initiative, covering geopolitical developments in the wider region, the role of the British Bases in Cyprus, and efforts to de-escalate the ongoing crisis.
According to a written statement by Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis, Christodoulides underlined Cyprus’s role as a pillar of stability and a reliable partner in the Eastern Mediterranean, and stressed the importance of strengthening coordination with the United Kingdom under the framework of the bilateral Strategic Dialogue.
The President briefed the Prime Minister on the approach he had presented to EU leaders at the recent European Council, calling for a coordinated initiative to de-escalate the crisis. He said multilateralism represented the primary diplomatic avenue for contributing to regional stability and supporting countries in the region. He also said that strengthening EU–UK relations was an important element of this effort, and that Cyprus would support and contribute to upgrading that strategic cooperation.
The British Prime Minister agreed and referred to a recent joint statement issued by the United Kingdom alongside France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, Canada and the United Arab Emirates on the Strait of Hormuz, which Letymbiotis said confirmed a shared approach towards multilateralism and de-escalation.
On the British Bases in Cyprus, Christodoulides raised both challenges that had arisen and lessons learned from crisis management so far, and put forward a proposal for relevant discussions to be initiated.
The British Prime Minister reiterated that the security of Cyprus was fundamental to the United Kingdom, and said a decision had been taken to enhance the means contributing to preventive measures already in place. He also reiterated that the British Bases in Cyprus would not be used for any offensive military operations.
The two leaders agreed to remain in close contact in light of regional developments.
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