Press Releases

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Constantinos Kombos, and the US Ambassador to Cyprus, Ms Julie Fisher, paid a joint visit to the CYCLOPS Training Centre in Larnaka.

During their visit, which took place yesterday afternoon, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the American Ambassador were informed about the operation and activities of the Centre, and were given a tour of the facilities by its Director, Mr Chrysilios Chrysiliou.

In a statement following the visit, Dr Kombos thanked the Government of the United States for its assistance for the creation of the Centre. He stated that, since its inauguration in April 2022, more than 700 people have benefited from the Centre’s training programs and seminars. At the same time, he added, there is a strong interest from many national and international agencies, including the UN Office for Drugs and Crime.

The Minister referred also to the strategic relationship between Cyprus and the USA, underlining Cyprus' commitment to further strengthen their bilateral relations. «CYCLOPS is proof of the upgrading of our bilateral relations in the field of security and demonstrates that our strategic partnership is tangible and substantial, based on shared values and interests aiming, inter-alia, to ensure a rule-based solid regional security architecture», he said.

CYCLOPS (Cyprus Center for Land, Open-Seas and Port Security) is an educational centre owned by the Republic of Cyprus, based in Larnaka. The project was implemented in close cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the US Government, based on a relevant Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2020. The US State Department’s Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) program undertook the financing for the construction and equipment of the Centre.

(MPH/MG)