Nicosia is in coordination with Athens and Brussels regarding the Turkish-Libyan memorandum, supporting and following the planning and steps taken by the Greek side, being the party directly affected, Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos said on Friday.
Responding to MPs questions during the presentation of the Ministry’s budget for 2027, Kombos said that Nicosia has long been conducting preparatory work regarding the delimitation of the Exclusive Economic Zone between Cyprus and Greece, however, this is a matter to be decided at the highest level. The Foreign Minister added that he can not provide a timeline.
Meanwhile, presenting the Ministry’s budget for 2027, he said that it amounts to €137.75 million—an increase of €5.3 million (4%) compared to the 2026 and an increase of €34.9 million (34%) since 2023, when the administration of Nikos Christodoulides took office.
Kombos pointed out that this increase has enabled the Ministry to recruit 57 new diplomats, resulting in a reduction of single-diplomat embassies from 34 in 2023 to 25. He added that this number will decrease further and that 15 more diplomats will be recruited. The budget, he explained, is divided into recurrent expenditure which is €118.47 million, and development expenditure which is €19.27 million. Recurrent expenditure includes the Republic of Cyprus’s contribution to UNFICYP, which amounts to €18 million.
Regarding the Turkey-Libya memorandum, Kombos noted that it has no legal effect and that Nicosia is coordinating with Athens and Brussels. He said that Athens is making diplomatic representations and that Cyprus is “fully” supportive of Greece, aligning itself with the plans and steps taken by the Greek side, as the latter is directly affected.
The Minister informed about the policy and objectives of his Ministry, especially within the current volatile environment. He stressed that Cyprus “remains actively present, rather than absent, as some might claim.”
Referring to Cyprus’ foreign policy he recalled that Turkey’s role in the region and beyond, noting that Turkey is currently “particularly empowered” and is employing “drone diplomacy,” given that it controls 65% of the global drone market. He also referred to the “Mecca Agreement,” which is intended to facilitate the sale of its systems. Furthermore, Kombos talked about cultural diplomacy and Turkey’s religious influence across the broader Muslim world, highlighting the substantial funds the country invests toward this end.
He stressed Nicosia’s commitment to its Western orientation, noting that relations with the US are at their highest level. He also highlighted ties with France, the United Kingdom, and Israel, as well as with India. He added that significant steps have been made in Central Asia, a region within Turkey’s sphere of influence.
For 2027, he went on to say, the focus will be on enhancing crisis management capabilities and infrastructure, while the broader objective is to deepen relations with Asia.
