Defence minister Giorgallas meets Israeli counterpart (Update)

Cyprus and Israel are starting a new chapter in their bilateral relations where defence and military cooperation is concerned, Defence Minister Michalis Giorgallas said on Friday.

“We have set an ambitious agenda which concerns exercises, training exchange research and development, technology and other important matters.”

Giorgallas and his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant inaugurated the new chapter after a meeting at Nicosia’s defence ministry.

“Cyprus and Israel have a well-established strategic defence cooperation. The ties of our people, our bonds and our interconnections favour an unshakeable bond between our two countries,” Giorgallas said after the talks.

The two ministers also paid a visit to the Cyprus-Israel Friendship Monument at the BMH army camp in Nicosia, where they also confirmed “the excellent level of our defence and military cooperation,” as well as new ideas on how to develop them forward, Giorgallas added.

According to Cyprus’ defence minister, he and his counterpart also delved into talks on a “dynamic trilateral defence cooperation” between Israel, Greece and Cyprus.

Giorgallas also briefed Gallant on Cyprus’ current security status as well as threats against it.

President Nikos Christodoulides is also expected to visit Israel next week.

“We greatly appreciate Israel’s defence industry as trusted partners in our efforts to modernizes our armed forces and upgrade our defence and deterrence abilities,” Cyprus’ defence minister said.

He condemned the “indiscriminate wave of rocket attacks by terrorists” referring to Gaza and expressed his sorrow over the injury to civilians.

Gallant thanked his counterpart for his speech “against terrorism” and said “today we begin to write a new chapter in the great Israel-Cyprus relationship.”

The minister went on to say that the ties between Cyprus and Israel are based on shared values and a common vision for the future. Gallant said the visit to the Cyprus-Israel Friendship Monument at Camp BMH was a very meaningful visit and thanked the people of Cyprus for their actions.

“Today, more than ever, with the context of the war in Ukraine and the understanding that nations must invest in their security while building on their defence cooperation, we know that our cooperation has a strong and direct impact on building a force to defend both our countries and the stability and security of the Middle East region,” he said.

Finally, he said that the cooperation between the industries of the two countries in the military and defence sector brings Israel great pride. “I attach great importance to the strength of our bilateral and trilateral ties with Greece and the dialogue with our common ally, the United States,” he said, noting that a great cooperation between the two countries was launched today.

Meanwhile, in a written statement late on Friday in response to the visit, the ‘Foreign Ministry’ in the north described the support for the Republic of Cyprus as a development that has “negative consequences for the peace and stability of the region and leads to an arms race”, Cyprus News Agency (Cna) reported.

“Our ministry has repeatedly brought to the attention of the international community, both verbally and in writing, that the Greek Cypriot side is increasing its armament activities and that this Greek Cypriot policy is leading to an arms race. Some states, knowingly or unknowingly, are encouraging this aggressive policy of the Greek Cypriot administration of southern Cyprus, which is poisoning the environment of peace and stability. We consider that the official visit of the Israeli Minister of Defence is in this context. We would like to remind the Israeli authorities that the Greek Cypriot side has no right to speak or act on behalf of the Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot people,” the Press and Information Office and Kibris Postasi reported.

The statement went on to say that the Turkish Cypriot side is willing “to establish good relations with Israel.”