Further energy developments are on the way over the coming weeks, President Christodoulides disclosed, offering up his own assessment on the 3+1 deliberations in Athens and prospects going forward next year.
'One of our fundamental goals is to align our interests not just with neighbouring states but also powerful players in the international system, such as the US', Christodoulides said of the format, also referring to its energy aspect.
'Energy is a sector on which we are closely cooperating', he added, it forms a basic pillar of Cyprus foreign policy. He announced yet more is to come.
'We will have new developments to make public in the coming weeks', the President stated.
The goal was to utilise energy in dealing with the electricity challenge on the home front, as he put it, but it also constitutes a factor in promoting regional cooperation.
'Such a dimension is of particular importance, the Eastern Mediterranean becoming an alternative energy route', he stressed.
Not distant to the same geopolitical sphere were the President's remarks on the SAFE programme, disclosing that Norway's decision to lift the arms embargo on Cyprus, made public yesterday by Espen Barth Eide, was related to decisions concerning the EU defence mechanism.
'It is a development of particular significance', the President said, bearing in mind that previous efforts to purchase military equipment from Norway had failed, due to the embargo implemented in 1959.
The President said the decision was a recognition of the country's role in the region as a dependable and trustworthy partner.
On the home front, Christodoulides confirmed that the five Greek-Cypriots being held in the occupied territories since July, have yet to return home.
He assured that the government is taking a number of steps behind the scenes which 'cannot be made public for obvious reasons as the goal is for the citizens to be released'.