Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stated on Tuesday that “if Cyprus really needs us, we will be there,” after holding talks in Nicosia with his Cypriot counterpart Constantinos Kombos, amid regional turmoil sparked by the war against Iran.
On his part, Kombos stressed that Europe must play an active role in promoting de-escalation through diplomacy and that Cyprus is “part of the answers and not part of any problem.”
In his opening remarks, Kombos said the crisis had “a direct impact on global stability” and raised concerns for the European Union, inter alia in relation to energy prices, maritime navigation and supply chains. He said Europe “must have an active role for promoting de-escalation through diplomacy,” adding that the EU had taken a united position and condemned “the unjustifiable and indiscriminate attacks against our Gulf partners.”
He also underlined that Cyprus had every reason to speak out, both because of its geography and because it holds the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU. “Cyprus’ profile has nothing to do with military attacks against anyone,” he said, adding that “Cyprus is about peace, it’s about humanitarian operations, it’s about facilitation.”
Kombos thanked countries that had responded to Cyprus’ needs in recent days with support for its defensive capacities, saying the island appreciated those “who have swiftly responded with tangible expression of support” as well as those “that are willing to do more.”
35 German nationals among those evacuated through Cyprus
He said the top priority remained the repatriation of Cypriot citizens stranded in danger zones, noting that more than 99% of Cypriot citizens and residents had already returned home and that the operation would be completed in the coming days. He added that 35 German nationals were among those evacuated through Cyprus and said the Republic had also activated evacuation facilitation plans for third-country nationals.
The Cypriot Foreign Minister said bilateral relations with Germany were very solid, with potential for further growth in areas such as culture, education and maritime affairs. Referring to Cyprus’ EU Presidency, he said recent developments had confirmed the need for the Union to focus on the region not only in times of crisis but also as “a region of opportunity.” He also said the two sides were in full alignment on continuing support for Ukraine.
“An exceptional situation”
On his part, Wadephul said Cyprus was experiencing “an exceptional situation” and referred to the recent Iranian drone attack on a British military base as evidence that “the threat from the regime in Tehran is real, also in Europe.”
“I express my respect and gratitude for Cyprus’ calm and measured response. And I want to say clearly you have our full solidarity,” he said.
He described Cyprus as “a close and important partner to Germany” and said it was showing responsibility at a difficult time while holding the EU Council Presidency. He also welcomed the support already provided by European partners, saying “burden-sharing is crucial” and that “security must be understood as a shared responsibility by all of us.”
Wadephul said Europe was facing two wars on its doorstep. While the Middle East crisis was felt acutely in Cyprus, he said “the war in Ukraine and the threat posed by Russia must not be overshadowed,” adding that “Russia remains the greatest threat to our security.”
At the same time, he stressed Germany’s readiness to stand by Cyprus if necessary. He described Cyprus as “an important bridge between Europe and the Middle East” and thanked it for continuing to offer itself as an evacuation hub when needed.
Asked what Cyprus expected from Germany after the recent drone incident and amid support already sent by other partners, Kombos said Cyprus had acted preventively by strengthening its defensive capacities in line with expert advice.
“We have managed to follow through with the plan that our experts have suggested. Therefore, we have the assets in place right now exactly where we had anticipated they would be needed,” he said.
Solidarity in different forms
At the same time, he noted that solidarity could take different forms and said this had been discussed with Wadephul. “We can move forward and try to find ways of expressing in a more tangible and clear way what the intention, the genuine intention, really is,” he said.
Kombos said Wadephul’s presence in Nicosia itself sent a strong signal. “I am grateful and I appreciate the fact that the Minister is here today. I think it sends the right message,” he said.
Seeking to reassure the public, he added that “this is not a war zone,” even though Cyprus had to continue taking protective measures for its people, residents and visitors. He said the island had secured the support it needed based on expert advice, while discussions with partners were continuing.
He also pointed to Wadephul’s own pledge, saying that “in the event Cyprus is indeed requiring something specific and fearing for its safety, Germany would be here. This sends the right political message very clearly.”
No information suggesting an immediate threat
Asked whether there was intelligence indicating a broader threat to Europe or European assets abroad, Wadephul said he had no information suggesting an immediate threat beyond what was already publicly known.
“I do not have any intelligence information indicating that there is a real or current threat beyond what everybody knows,” he said, while noting that developments in Lebanon and the wider region remained unpredictable.
He placed Cyprus’ security concerns within the broader European security framework, pointing to German commitments in the North Atlantic and Baltic regions. But he stressed that Berlin was not ignoring what was happening in the Eastern Mediterranean.
He described as “a pragmatic solution and a pragmatic step” the presence of Mediterranean EU partners such as France and Italy in the area, and said Germany would be ready to add military capabilities if a concrete need arose.
“So if there were any security need for Germany to add military capabilities here, then of course we are ready to do so,” he said, adding that for the time being he did not see such a necessity.
Wadephul also used the occasion to underline Germany’s commitment to the EU mutual assistance clause. “We know what Article 42 means for us,” he said. “This is not only something legally written down; we are ready to stand by it.”
The war “must end as soon as possible”
On the economic impact of the conflict, Kombos said all sides could agree that the war “must end as soon as possible” for many reasons, including the economic consequences.
He said efforts should focus on creating the right conditions for diplomatic dialogue when the time was right, while warning that energy, maritime lanes and trade were all interconnected with developments in Iran and the wider region.
“This is a complex situation and everything is interconnected,” he said. “The sooner we get to the negotiating table, the sooner the war ends, the better for everyone.”
Asked about a possible expansion of Germany’s military presence in the region, Wadephul thanked Cyprus for hosting German naval vessels over the years and praised the support shown to German personnel.
He repeated that Germany would be ready to engage if Cyprus requested it and there was a real need, but said that for now Berlin believed the current engagement of other European Mediterranean partners was what was needed “to secure here the situation for Cyprus and other countries.”
In the early hours of March 2 a Shahed-type drone struck military facilities in the British Bases, hosted in Akrotiri, in the southern tip of Cyprus, causing minor damage, amid regional turmoil following the US-Israeli attacks on Iran. The attack by the Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicle, believed to be linked to Hezbollah operating in Lebanon, prompted heightened security measures, while several countries, including Greece and France said they were deploying warships, aircraft and other air defence assets to shield Cyprus. The UK also announced the dispatch of a warship. Nicosia reiterates that it has no involvement in the wider Middle East conflict.
(Source: CNA)
