Cyprus’ sustained presence in Central Asia creates opportunities for the business community in countries of significant geopolitical and economic importance, while this approach is also driven by clear political reasons related to our national issue, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement on Monday on the occasion of the conclusion of the Foreign Affairs Minister Constantinos Kombos' tour of the region.
According to the MFA, during the tour the minister visited Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. It noted that this was Kombos’ third visit to the region since 2024.
The tour was performed to strengthen the diplomatic footprint of the Republic of Cyprus in Central Asia, to deepen and develop bilateral relations with the countries of the region, and to promote the European Union’s relations with Central Asian states, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
The Minister’s tour began with the first official visit by a Cypriot Foreign Minister to Tajikistan on June 5, followed by visits to Uzbekistan on June 6 and to Kyrgyzstan today, June 8.
During his visit to Tajikistan, the Foreign Minister was received by Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon and by the Speaker of the Tajikistan Lower House, Faizali Idizoda.
He also met with Tajikistan’s Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin with discussions focussing on deepening bilateral relations and strengthening cooperation in areas of mutual interest, as well as regional developments.
A Memorandum of Cooperation in the field of Higher Education and Research was signed with the Tajik Foreign Minister, establishing a framework for enhanced cooperation between the two sides on higher education, academic exchanges and scientific research.
During his visit to Uzbekistan on 6 June, the Cypriot Foreign Minister’s second visit to the country in two years, Kombos had a meeting with his counterpart Bakhtiyor Saidov. The meeting covered prospects for further development of the bilateral cooperation framework, deepening cooperation within multilateral organisations, and regional and international issues of mutual interest. Ways to strengthen EU‑Uzbekistan cooperation were also discussed.
On Monday 8 June, the Foreign Minister visited Kyrgyzstan where he was received in the capital Bishkek by President Sadyr Japarov and the Speaker of Parliament Marlen Mamataliev. The meetings examined ways to deepen both Cyprus–Kyrgyz bilateral relations and EU–Kyrgyz relations.
Kombos also met with his counterpart Zheenbek Kulubaev. The two Foreign Ministers signed a Cooperation Programme between the two Ministries of Foreign Affairs, which is expected to strengthen cooperation and exchanges between the two sides on matters of mutual interest.
During the visit to Kyrgyzstan, Kombos signed a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement with the country’s Minister of Economy and Trade, Bakyt Sydykov. The Agreement is expected to contribute to the creation of a more predictable legal and tax framework for bilateral economic activities, facilitating and simultaneously boosting investment and business cooperation between the two countries, the statement said.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Central Asia region has emerged over the past two years as one of the priorities of the Republic of Cyprus’s foreign policy.
In this context, it said, "Cyprus’ sustained presence in the region creates opportunities for the business community in countries of significant geopolitical and economic value, while this approach is also guided by clear political reasons related to our national issue."
A tangible result, the statement added, is the inclusion of specific references to the Cyprus issue in the joint declarations of the EU–Central Asia Ministerial Meeting in March 2025 and the EU–Central Asia Summit in April 2025, with explicit reference to respect for the independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states, as well as to United Nations Security Council Resolutions 541 (1983) and 550 (1984), which concern Cyprus exclusively.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results due to Turkish intransigence. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
In 2025 the Secretary-General hosted two informal meetings on Cyprus, in March in Geneva and in July in New York, while a tripartite meeting with the Cyprus leaders was also held in late September, at the end of the UN General Assembly High Level Week. An informal meeting in broader format that was expected to take place before the end of 2025, is yet to be announced. María Angela Holguín, the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked to engage with the parties.
