Kombos: congressional contacts key to strengthening Cyprus-US ties

Contacts with US congressional leaders are particularly important in efforts to strengthen relations with the United States, Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos said in a video statement marking the end of his Washington visit on Wednesday.

Kombos referred to meetings with the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the chairman and vice chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and the chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources subcommittee on energy and water development.

He said that this was the second time he had the opportunity to visit and meet with congressional leadership, adding that “this is particularly important in the effort to strengthen relations with the US.”

The minister also said he spoke at events organised by various think tanks, including one focusing on cooperation with Gulf countries, organised by the Arab Gulf States Institute.

“The effort is being completed; we are in a very challenging geostrategic and geopolitical situation, and Cyprus, as a reliable partner both to the US and as the presiding country of the Council of the EU, will continue its own efforts to contribute to resolving various issues that affect us both directly and profoundly,” Kombos emphasised.

This followed Kombos’ Tuesday meeting with Greece’s defence minister in Washington DC on the sidelines of a conference organised by a Greek non-profit organisation.

The two ministers were invited to speak at a workshop hosted by the Delphi Economic Forum. Kombos spoke on the priorities of the Cypriot presidency of the Council of the European Union, Cyprus-US relations, transatlantic relations and international developments.