German visit heralds new defence relationship

Germany and Cyprus have developed a relationship of deep trust over the past 10 years, German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday during her visit to Cyprus.

This is the first time a German defence minister has visited the island.

Leyen met with her counterpart Christoforos Fokaides at the Zenon search and rescue centre in Larnaca.

She thanked Cyprus for the hospitality of German ships over the past decade as part of the UN interim force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) where she jokingly quipped that “German naval forces feel at home in Cyprus” and this was “proof of the deep trust between the two countries”.

Fokaides announced the deployment of a defence attache to Germany and thanked Leyen for opting to visit the island only a few days after elections in her home country.

“Germany is a key driving force in the process of European integration and in the defence sector where we will soon be making important decisions together,” Fokaides said without getting into detail as to what they may be.

He praised the relations between the two countries saying they were going from strength to strength “through our mutual commitment to strengthening defence cooperation in Europe towards the direction of a common European defence.”

Reiterating Cyprus’ support for Germany, Fokaides added that Cyprus is working towards improving the country’s infrastructure and capabilities when it came to land, water and air defence.

“Here in Cyprus, in this south eastern corner of Europe, major European interests are at stake. In this neighbourhood, deeply rooted are some of the most serious asymmetric challenges that threaten European citizens.”

Leyen said the conversations the two had when meeting at the European defence council were “interesting and fruitful”.

The island offers important security to the region “and this must be developed” she added.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.