Cyprus and the US: Maturity and credibility

A leader doesn’t need to be unpredictable or keep a finger in many pies in order to be effective in strengthening your country’s position. The former attitude is often a recipe for disaster, as history has shown us all too often, all over the world, but also more specifically in cases closer to home; a leading example are the dramatic events in Cyprus that led to the Turkish invasion of 1974 and its continued occupation.

You can be stable, reliable and predictable, in the best sense of the terms. You must also have the foresight, of course, to forge policies that serve the interests of your country first and foremost, but also, to the degree possible, that also coincide with those of other important players on the geopolitical chessboard.

These observations came to mind following the recent meeting between US President Joe Biden and his Cypriot counterpart, Nikos Christodoulides, in Washington, which was the first of its kind in more than a quarter of a century.

Christodoulides, who is seen by some as a “hardliner” on the national issue, has shown himself to be a realist and, ultimately, for all practical purposes, effective.

Nicosia has been of significant service to Washington – assuming a role that may be bigger than what corresponds to it – without making any kind of “concessions” as many conspiracists would have it.

This close cooperation led to a bilateral defense agreement and a strategic dialogue between the two countries, while Nicosia is also in close cooperation with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation in a joint crackdown on corruption and money laundering.

In contrast to other leaders, during different times, Christodoulides has not only adopted a clear pro-Western orientation, he is also investing to this end with practical initiatives that are obviously appreciated in all the right circles. And he does this without upsetting close historical ties with other players. The most obvious example is the strategic relationship with Israel, both at the bilateral level and via the tripartite partnership with Greece, as well as the similar scheme with Egypt.

The crisis in the Middle East thrust Cyprus to the fore and Nicosia has capitalized on this. The initiative for the creation of a humanitarian corridor to get aid to Gaza by offering its infrastructure, ports and air bases, had multiple benefits. On the diplomatic front, meanwhile, Nicosia’s moves have been carefully planned and bolster its added value, as they are designed to respond to the needs of important players on the regional and global scenes.

The natural outcome of this mature relationship developing between Nicosia and Washington is the strengthening of the diplomatic footprint of the Republic of Cyprus, which is entitled to leverage this in other areas of heightened interest to itself.