Secretary Blinken: Good morning, everyone. It is a great pleasure to have the Foreign Minister of Cyprus, my friend Constantinos Kombos, here at the State Department today.
This is a pivotal moment in the relationship between the United States and Cyprus. We will be announcing and launching a strategic dialogue between our countries. The first dialogue will take place in Cyprus this fall. I think this is very powerful evidence of the strengthening, deepening, and broadening of the relationship between our countries, working together in so many different areas.
Of course, the sea corridor to Gaza is a prime example, but if you look at what we’re doing in terms of trade, science and technology, security, education, people-to-people ties, you see a partnership, a relationship that’s getting stronger, that’s getting deeper. And that’s a reflection of the fact that Cyprus is an important player in the region and a partnership for the United States that we value very much. So I’m very pleased to welcome you here today as we work on practical ways to deepen this partnership and begin a strategic dialogue. You’re very welcome.
Foreign Minister Kombos: Mr. Secretary, dear Tony, thank you for the invitation, for the warmth, for the hospitality, and also for your kind words. In these difficult times, your leadership is crucial, and you are leading in person. This is a very important day for both of our countries. The announcement of the establishment of the strategic dialogue is a very important development, and of course it comes with a responsibility.
We are moving to create a structured dialogue, a dialogue that is going to be intense, and this is for the benefit of the people of both our countries. We share common ground – our core values; our respect, commitment to democracy, our respect for the rule of law; our opposition to aggression and revisionism. And on these we stand together, whether it is in Ukraine or in relation to other places where we have such incidents.
At the same time, Cyprus is a reliable, predictable partner for the United States. And in a very complex region, the message is very simple: Cyprus is part of the solution. Cyprus is part of the answer. That is the perspective through which Turkey’s five-decade occupation of Cyprus must be viewed. And on this, we count on the support of the United States.
Dear Tony, thank you very much, and I look forward to continuing the discussion.
Secretary Blinken: Thank you very much. Thank you everyone.
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