President, Nikos Christodoulides, attended the celebrations for the National Day of France in Paris on Tuesday, at the invitation of his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, who received the salute of the traditional military parade on the Champs-Élysées. An elite contingent of the National Guard participated in the parade along with the Commander of the Force, Lieutenant General Emmanouil Theodorou.
The Presidency of the Republic said in a press release that this year’s parade was dedicated to the “strategic awakening of Europe,” highlighting the need to strengthen European defence and security, as well as closer cooperation among allies to address modern challenges.
It also noted that approximately 30 Heads of State and Government of the “Alliance of the Willing” participated in the events, while military contingents from 35 countries, including the Republic of Cyprus, took part in the opening of the parade.
The press release pointed out that the Republic of Cyprus was represented by an elite contingent of the National Guard, which paraded under the Cypriot flag on the Champs-Élysées.
“The presence of the Cypriot contingent, following an invitation from the French Armed Forces, is a special honour for our country and constitutes a practical recognition of the high level of strategic cooperation between Cyprus and France, as well as the continuously strengthening cooperation between the two countries in the fields of defence and security,” it noted.
Furthermore, the press release said that “this year’s military parade included 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, as well as their close cooperation with internal security forces, within the framework of the joint effort to address security challenges in Europe.”
“The participation of the Republic of Cyprus in this year’s events is yet another tangible proof of the excellent bilateral relations with France, which have been further strengthened through the signing of the Strategic Partnership Agreement last December,” the Presidency of the Republic underlined, noting that “this participation of the Republic of Cyprus demonstrates the common commitment of the two countries to strengthen European security, stability, and collective defence.”
The General Staff of the National Guard said in a press release that the Commander of the National Guard, Lieutenant General Emmanouil Theodorou, participated in the events for the National Holiday of July 14, 1789, in Paris, at the invitation of the Chief of the French Armed Forces, Air Chief Marshal Fabien Mandon.
It also noted that the Commander of the National Guard attended the military parade on the Champs-Élysées, in which a flag contingent of the Republic of Cyprus and an armed infantry unit of the National Guard, totalling 23 personnel, participated.
“The participation in the celebrations of the French Republic for the second time, after 2007, demonstrates the historical friendship of the two peoples and the particularly high level at which the strategic cooperation between Cyprus and France currently stands,” the press release emphasised.
“During the visit, the Commander had a private meeting with his counterpart, during which recent global developments, the prospect of strengthening the defense capability of the European Union, the security situation in the Eastern Mediterranean region, and the challenges faced by Cyprus were discussed,” the press release concluded.
Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria
