The Republic of Cyprus, in an effort to protect itself from the increased Turkish provocations and asymmetric threats, has developed bilateral and trilateral cooperation in the field of defence and security with 16 regional and European countries as well as the UK and the US, said Defence Minister, Charalampos Petrides.
Addressing the annual general assembly of the Cyprus Army Officers Association held at Kornos on Thursday, he said that officers are the backbone of the National Guard as they are entrusted with demanding tasks which require high level of training, mental resilience and dedication.
He said the National Guard depends on the capabilities and dedication of its staff and that its high standards are a strong factor in averting any threat.
Petrides said that the Defence Ministry has set goals which aim at strengthening the country’s defence and improving the ministry’s structure.
As far as strengthening the force’s operational capability, he said that with steady steps we are implementing the ministry’s armament programme and we are continuing to modernize and upgrade the force’s deterrent capability against threats that are coming from the ground, sea and air.
In his address, the Minister of Defence referred to the ministry’s budget and noted that “for this year it is at the highest financial level in the last 20 years”.
Regarding the ministry’s cooperation with other states, he said “in an effort to protect ourselves from the continued increased Turkish threats and emerging asymmetric threats, we have developed bilateral and trilateral cooperation in the field of defence and security with 16 regional and European countries as well as the UK and the US. He also said that cooperation with Greece “is at the highest possible level”.
He also described as very significant the implementation of the cooperation with Greece, Italy and France which has produced significant and apt results in the effort to define the east Mediterranean as a region of interest to the EU.
Source: Cyprus News Agency