The Republic of Cyprus welcomes the approval by the US House Foreign Affairs Committee of a legislative initiative on the importance of the IMEC corridor (India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor) for the US, with specific reference to key points of this project, including Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos has said.
Nicosia views this development as part of the broader shaping of relations with the US, both in the executive and legislative sectors, he pointed out.
In statements to journalists after a meeting of the Council of Ministers on 22 January, Kombos referred to the voting on Wednesday by the US House Foreign Affairs Committee of the Eastern Mediterranean Gateway Act, which, is "a legislative initiative that refers to the importance of the IMEC corridor for the United States with specific reference to the stages of this project with partners that have special and particular importance to the United States such as India, Egypt, Cyprus, Greece, Israel."
He added that it is a legislative framework which aims to direct, "to the extent that is internally institutionally possible within the United States system, the foreign policy, with the ultimate goal of reporting to the legislature, in relation to how US foreign policy has aligned with these parameters set by the legislator."
Kombos noted that this is the first step in the legislative process which has been approved with 45 positive votes and only 2 against, and that the next step is to be put forward to the Plenary and then, if voted in favor, to the Senate to follow a similar process.
“It is something that the Republic of Cyprus welcomes and integrates into the broader shaping of the relationship with the US both in the executive and legislative fields,” he added.
Replying to a question, Kombos said that this legislation, if and when adopted, creates a roadmap that affects the exercise of US foreign policy, on the issue of IMEC, "with special reference to the Eastern Mediterranean and the strategic importance, the relationship of the US with Cyprus as well as in the context of the trilateral cooperation, the relations that exist more broadly, the importance of Egypt, the development of our relations and all the others with India, and as a member state of the EU".
Therefore, he said, it underlines the importance of the Republic of Cyprus in relation to this project, as a factor that must be taken into account by the US when formulating and approaching the issue that concerns IMEC more broadly and as regards the Eastern Mediterranean.
(Source: CNA)
