CYPRUS: US seeks to be part of East Med security partnership

Washington attaches political importance to the trilateral cooperation of Cyprus, Greece and Israel as a guarantee of stability in the region and wants to be a part of that East Med security umbrella, said Cypriot government Spokesman Prodromos Prodromou.

He told CNA, the US seeks to become part of the security partnership “being developed in our geopolitical area”, noting that this shows the reliability of the security and stability dynamic developed by Cyprus, through cooperation.   

Prodromou said the 6th Trilateral Summit of Cyprus, Greece and Israel will take place on March 20 in Israel, and the three leaders will hold a meeting with US Foreign Secretary Mike Pompeo.

“In this way we will basically have a quartet meeting among Cyprus, Greece, Israel and the US," he noted.

It is an upgrade from the December summit in Beer Sheva where the US was present through its Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman.

Cooperation on security, energy, entrepreneurship and other issues is being promoted on the basis of agreements and the general framework of trilateral relations, Prodromou said.

He said that it is important that the US is seeking to be part of the security partnership.

“This not only reflects the convergence of interests in our maritime area as regards energy issues, but also this move by the US shows the reliability of the security and stability dynamic developed by our country,” Prodromou concluded.