Nicosia: President Nikos Christodoulides of Cyprus participated in the National Day of France celebrations in Paris, responding to an invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron. The event featured a traditional military parade on the Champs-‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬°lys©es, with Macron receiving the salute. Representing Cyprus, an elite contingent of the National Guard, led by Commander Lieutenant General Emmanouil Theodorou, also participated in the parade.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the Presidency of the Republic released a statement highlighting this year's parade theme, "strategic awakening of Europe." The theme underscored the importance of enhancing European defense and security and fostering closer cooperation among allies to tackle modern challenges. Approximately 30 Heads of State and Government from the "Alliance of the Willing" were in attendance, along with military contingents from 35 countries, including Cyprus.
The Republic of Cyprus was represented by an elite National Guard contingent that marched under the Cypriot flag on the Champs-‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬°lys©es. The Presidency noted that this participation, following an invitation from the French Armed Forces, was a significant honor and a testament to the robust strategic cooperation between Cyprus and France. It also reflected the ongoing strengthening of defense and security collaboration between the two nations.
The event featured the participation of 6,686 military personnel, 315 military motor vehicles, 98 aircraft, 31 helicopters, and 193 mounted troops, showcasing the operational capabilities of the French Armed Forces and their collaboration with internal security forces. This joint effort aims to address security challenges in Europe. The Presidency emphasized that Cyprus's participation further exemplifies the excellent bilateral relations with France, which were reinforced by the Strategic Partnership Agreement signed last December.
The General Staff of the National Guard stated that Lieutenant General Emmanouil Theodorou attended the Paris events, including the July 14th military parade. The Cypriot contingent, consisting of a flag unit and an armed infantry unit with 23 personnel, participated in the parade. This marked the second time Cyprus was involved in the celebrations, the first being in 2007, highlighting the historical friendship and strong strategic cooperation between Cyprus and France.
During his visit, Lieutenant General Theodorou met privately with his French counterpart, Air Chief Marshal Fabien Mandon. Their discussions covered recent global developments, prospects for bolstering the European Union's defense capabilities, the security situation in the Eastern Mediterranean, and the challenges faced by Cyprus.