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We have gathered here today to
mark the culmination of a joint effort that has become emblematic of the way
in which bilateral cooperation between our two countries, Cyprus and the
United States, has grown and deepened over the past few years. It is a
positive occasion indeed, coming at the very beginning of a new year, and I
very much hope that it will set the tone for things to come in 2021.
The groundbreaking for the
construction of CYCLOPS, a Training Facility that will serve Cyprus and the
broader region, as well as our cooperation with the US, is an important
development — one could even say a watershed — in a number of ways.
First and foremost, it is a
prime example of the tangible results that the growing bilateral security
relationship between the Republic of Cyprus and the United States is already
yielding.
It is a major accomplishment
for both sides, and I would therefore like to congratulate Ambassador Garber
and her associates in Nicosia and in Washington, as well as our own dedicated
team, for bringing this project to fruition. I wish to express our warm
appreciation also to the Mayor and the Municipality of Larnaka for their
support and cooperation, and especially for their assistance in securing this
ideal plot of land.
Today we are entering the final
phase of the implementation of this innovative project, for which discussions
started soon after the signing of the Statement of Intent on Security
Cooperation between our two governments, in the fall of 2018. These
discussions culminated in the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding for
the establishment of CYCLOPS with the Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, during
his visit to Cyprus in September. Plans were drawn up swiftly after that,
whilst at the same time the process was completed to secure the land.
As a result of all these
efforts, Chad and I stand here today breaking the ground for construction to
begin.
If everything goes well, the
premises will be completed within the year. I sincerely hope that by then,
with the pandemic hopefully in check, we will be able to have an inauguration
ceremony, perhaps also in the presence of more distinguished guests from the
United States.
In time, we have high hopes
that CYCLOPS will develop into a hub of activity – at a domestic, regional
and international level. We are already working with our American friends, to
see how we can expand its activities, and within this framework we are
already in discussions with the European Security and Defense College, an EU
Institution, to see how we could develop synergies in relation to
Counter-terrorism training activities. This would be a major development.
At the same time, we are putting
together a “development team” for CYCLOPS, whose role will be to look into
different areas of training that we could expand into. For example, we are
looking into the growing field of countering hybrid threats as a promising
area for us, as well as at revisiting the countering-radicalization programs
that have been developed as part of the Aqaba Process. Already, a few
countries have informally indicated an interest in such cooperation.
With these positive thoughts, I
would like to conclude by congratulating and thanking everyone who has
contributed to making this day a reality.
2020 has been a difficult year
for the whole of humanity, like no other in living memory. Let’s hope that
the New Year will gradually bring a return to normality and an end to the
suffering and disruption caused by the pandemic.
Dear Chad, thank you for being
here to break the ground with me today and I wish you personally and the
American people, a happy New Year, with good health and prosperity for all.
EH
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