“The future is very bright” US Ambassador John Breslow said on Sunday speaking about Cyprus-US defence and military cooperation.
Speaking on board the USS Roοsevelt, which visited the port of Limassol, and after US navy and marines marched for the first time at the annual Independence Day parade, Breslow said the 2024-2029 roadmap for bilateral defence cooperation signed between Cyprus and the US “has already started, and it’s going great.”
“It will be up about the end of President Trump’s term,” he told the Cyprus News Agency, adding that “one thing I want to do for sure is when that happens before President Trump leaves office, because he appointed me, is to call him and say, hey, this needs to be extended for, you know, another term.”
Measures already underway as a result of the road map include a planned increase of some facilities at Paphos airport and the US and Cyprus Cyclops programme. Cyclops is a US funded training centre, where cyber and border security sessions have already taken place with the New Jersey National Guard.
Combined defence programmes
“A lot of people have benefited from it and it’s a wonderful, wonderful programme,” Breslow added.
As to a likely renewal of the road map, he said “it’s kind of too early to talk about renewal now. We’re in the middle of it, but it should be renewed because it’s breaking new ground for Cyprus and the United States.”
Asked about the presence of the USS Roosevelt and whether it marks a new era of visits to Cyprus by US vessels and whether there are any plans for joint exercises to bolster naval security in the region, Breslow said “I think there are plans for a lot of different military operations here in Cyprus, for defensive operations.”
“And the future is really bright,” he added.
“I think that you’re going to see more destroyers and ships come to port just like this one and drop off. And there are some exercises that they’re doing together, like the Cyclops. And so, we just want to continue that.”
Could Cyprus join Nato?
Replying to a question about the US position on Cyprus joining Nato and whether the US would support an joining the Partnership for Peace programme, Breslow said “the issue of Cyprus joining Nato begins with the people of Cyprus. They have to decide that that’s something that they want to do.”
“And I think the abilities that the United States and Cyprus are putting together is almost like Nato. I mean, the United States is going to protect Cyprus in the future. And I think that’s really important. And so, what happens in the future, I can’t predict. I don’t think anybody can predict, but I think the United States is going to be very, very supportive”.
Referring to a permanent lifting of the arms embargo to Cyprus which is now renewed every year he said “I can’t tell you what the government’s position is, but I can tell you there’s increased momentum from the Senate to increase the time of ITAR.”
“They’ve talked about three years, five years,” he added. “Senator (Cory) Booker, I know, is very interested in doing that. And some of his people were here recently and we talked about it,” he said.
So, “I think in the future maybe ITAR can be extended, but it’s not my decision. I obviously don’t make policy. It’s the Congress and the President that does that.”
‘I love Cyprus’
Asked how he finds the island, Breslow said he has only been on the island for a month, “I’d never been to Cyprus.
“I love Cyprus. My wife Sonia and I have really fallen in love with it. In fact, we’ve been taking tour trips around the island. And on our first trip, my wife said to me, ‘I love this place. When you’re done being ambassador, I want to live here.’ So that ought to tell you how much we love it,” he added.
“I am very excited about serving. I can see at the end I’m going to be very sad to leave Cyprus. I really enjoy it. Such a challenge.
“And the people I have met are so nice and so wonderful. One of the things that amazes me is it seems like everybody’s smiling and everybody loves what they’re doing,” Breslow concluded.
Click here to change your cookie preferences