In a sweeping interview with Breitbart News published on Monday, Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos offers Cyprus as a “point of contact” for enhanced dialogue between the US and EU on issues of common interest.
Referring to US President Donald Trump, Kombos said: “The President is in a unique position to define the global order and developments, and you have seen that throughout the year.”
He went on to explain to Breitbart’s Matthew Boyle that there was still room for more dialogue with Trump to reach specific outcomes on issues that impact both the US and EU. He sent a very clear message to the US president that “the EU cannot and should not be seen as an adversary”.
On the contrary, there is great potential for US-EU relations to grow in terms of trade, migration, connectivity, and other issues of joint concern, said the Cypriot minister.
No skin in the game
Cyprus now has this role, he argued, focusing foreign policy on the EU and US, while maintaining an “extremely useful regional role” with the Arab world and Israel.
“So, we are willing to play the role, to act as a point of entry, a point of contact, someone with whom you can have these kinds of conversations, depending on the file. And it’s a country that doesn’t have any skin in the game in relation to the big issues,” said Kombos.
The minister highlighted Cyprus as a connectivity point in a region which attracts great US interest. He also argued that Cyprus’ EU Presidency can be extremely beneficial to those who want western civilization to succeed. The rotating presidency gives Cyprus the chance to be more visible on the international scene but also to send a clear message that “we are here to act as an honest broker”.
Cyprus supports greater EU dialogue and engagement with the US
Kombos argued Cyprus’ excellent relations with all countries in the region was “very rare” these days. The country also has strategic relations with India, the United Arab Emirates, the US, the UK, France, and Bahrain. It seeks to take advantage of its six-month role at the helm of the EU Presidency to be part of the coordination team that handles issues such as the situation in Iran and transatlantic relations.
“We are bringing to the table a very clear approach as regards the relation with the United States. It’s about reaching out, creating positive agendas, dialogue, intensified dialogue, and having a clear address as to who is doing what in each case. […] We are willing to do that to the extent that it’s possible and useful.”
In this regard, Kombos distances himself from some other EU colleagues, noting that he advocates for more European engagement with the US under Trump, not less. Those nostalgic for the pre-Trump days are misreading the room, and misunderstanding where American voters are now. He argued for more dialogue and engagement to find common ground.
Trump clearly has a plan and a vision, and this was stated during his election campaign, and from his first term in office, said Kombos.
Another misconception some third parties have is to think Trump’s second term will be like his first. “It’s completely different because the situation is different.”
For example, the US administration is now leveraging trade for the benefit of the American economy as a clearly declared priority, he said, adding that in response, Europe has to be very realistic as to economic expectations and capacity.
Europe has the ability to be a trading partner with the US but also other markets such as India, the UAE and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, he said.
Trump’s foreign policy initiatives sometimes ‘surprise us’
On Trump’s “very clear line” on foreign policy, Kombos acknowledged that what is happening is sometimes “surprising to us” but it is because of the unpredictability of the US approach that Europe needs to engage more.
“We need to find those files for which there is a positive convergence, and work with the American counterparts, reach out, have the dialogue. There will be differences. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that we shouldn’t be communicating even more.”
The Cypriot foreign minister argued that this unpredictability is not going away. “This is a world order that has been changing, and the US is leading the way in relation to that change.”
The reality is things are not going back to the way we they were, including transatlantic relations, so “we should be working together to make it stronger”.
On the fact that the EU and then the US recently reached trade agreements with India, Kombos pointed out this could promote the India-Middle East-Europe-Economic Corridor (IMEC), serving as a bridge between India and the US, while also acting as a counterweight to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The EU trade deal with India acted as a catalyst for the India-U.S. deal, he said.
The Chinese phenomenon
Asked whether there is growing concern about China in Europe, Kombos said he thinks the US and EU can work closely together in dealing with China.
“Well, I think this is a file that could be a very good example of convergence between Europe and the United States,” he said.
The minister noted that Europe does not have a clear line as to how to approach the global phenomenon that is China. Many of Europe’s concerns are similar to those of Washington, and at some point, these issues will come to the surface more visibly, he said.
“So we need to find a way of ensuring that global trade continues to take place in a way that is beneficial for everyone involved,” and in an equitable, balanced manner that creates a win-win situation, particularly regarding the basic materials that drive the world’s economies.
Kombos argued the two trade agreements with a country the size of India shows that the EU and US are not abandoning global trade. “On the contrary, there is this effort to recalibrate the rules of the game in a way, by benefiting the economies internally rather than outsourcing a big part of the profitable enterprises that go along with growing economies.”
On the possibility of Trump visiting Cyprus, the Cypriot minister noted that he would be the first US president to do so and would be welcomed with open arms. Landing here would immediately give Trump the sense that Cyprus is geopolitically, strategically positioned with a global reputation as a service centre for setting up business.
‘A Christian country’
Kombos told Breitbart News that Cyprus’ place as a predominantly Christian nation so close to the Middle East, and also as part of the EU, can serve as a connector between the two worlds in a way that is advantageous to the US president’s vision.
“Our national profile is very much attractive to the political mindset that is now dominating in Washington DC,” Kombos said. “It’s a Christian country. We care very much about the Christian populations around us, especially in countries where there are minorities like for example Syria.” The minister suggested Cyprus could partner up with the US to support Christian communities in the region.
IMEC infrastructure needed
On energy, Kombos highlighted the vibrant energy sector, which was “flourishing thanks to American oil companies like Chevron and ExxonMobil being active in the region”.
He said Greece and Cyprus are now focused on further exploring the ‘3+1’ format with Israel and the US beyond energy to reach broader international geopolitical and trade frameworks like the proposed IMEC.
Free trade agreements need to be implemented and for that you need to build up the infrastructure capacity for maritime lanes, Kombos said. “It’s about facilitating trade.”
Visa waiver programme
Kombos called for Cyprus to join the US Visa Waiver Programme, noting that as an island nation of around one million people, Cyprus does not have a lot of people trying to emigrate to the US, but instead, has people trying to do business more easily with the country.
Cyprus has the fourth lowest visa rejection rate in the world at 2.55% and a strong approach to migration, he argued, adding that accepting Cyprus into the programme would enhance business relations.
“This a relationship that has great potential and an even greater future. Cyprus does not cost anything to the Americans, to the United States. We are not one of these countries that are looking to gain something in terms of financing. What we want is to leverage our political relation to a point where it’s useful to its maximum possible extent.”
Religious minorities
Breitbart News notes that Kombos brought with him to the interview Cyprus’ Special Representative for Religious Freedoms and Protection of Minorities in the Middle East, adding that Cyprus is following developments in Syria closely and tracking threats to religious freedom there.
Regarding Syria, the minister said he was very worried, particularly in relation to the issue of minorities. Cyprus has extended a hand of friendship to Syria and is waiting for it to be reciprocated, he said, adding, “we are too close to ignore the situation in Syria”.
Gaza and the Board of Peace
On Gaza, Kombos said Cyprus leveraged its excellent relations with Israel to engage with the region, for example, sending more than 32,000 tons of humanitarian aid to Gaza through the maritime corridor.
“We are possibly the only country that has the green light to send in medical equipment into Gaza.”
The island can also be the starting point to ship reconstruction material to Gaza, he said.
Regarding Trump’s Board of Peace, and phase two of his Gaza plan, Kombos highlighted the need to have a collective conversation with the US administration.
“It all happened too quickly, too fast. There are many questions.”
He argued in favour of making it easier for states to sign up and contribute to the Gaza issue, while leaving bigger questions on the multilateral order to the side.
“Gaza is a project that we cannot afford the international community to just leave it on its own hoping that it will get better.”
He warned that failure would risk exporting radicalism and further instability that will affect economies, trade, investment, energy prices, and security. “We do not have the luxury of failing, and we should be a lot more active, both as an international community, as the European Union, and at the bilateral level.”
Kombos concluded that Cyprus has been trying to find a way to be useful in this, noting that it could be an intermediary for conversations that need to be had.
“I’m afraid we are not having the conversations, at least to the extent and the depth that is required by the nature of this fight,” he said.