FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE – Cyprus’s consistent and stable foreign policy has positioned the country to strengthen its defense capabilities through U.S. partnerships and military programs, Defense Minister Vasilis Palmas has said.
Speaking to CyBC, Palmas was responding to a report in the daily newspaper Phileleftheros.
He said Cyprus’s close ties with the United States now allow it to select advanced military equipment to reinforce the National Guard.
Military specialists are expected to travel to the United States to inspect available weapons systems before final decisions are made on potential purchases.
Asked about Cyprus’s past reliance on Russian arms, Palmas noted that since joining the European Union in 2004, the Republic has shifted firmly toward Western defense cooperation.