Ambassador of Cyprus H.E. Michael Mavros praised the depth and strength of the Cypriot-Kuwaiti relations, which he described as historical and developed, pointing out that the two countries share common denominators, the most important of which is respect for international law and adherence to the United Nations Charter.
The ambassador was speaking during an interview he recently accorded to select media personnel. Referring to Kuwaiti diplomacy as a unique school and its diplomats as highly professional, the Cypriot envoy stressed that Kuwait’s balanced foreign policy and its role in supporting and promoting stability at the regional and international levels are universally praised. He also highlighted the cooperation between Cyprus and Kuwait on many files and issues of common interest on the regional and international arenas.
Evaluating the relations between Cyprus and Kuwait, its past and present, its stages of development, and its future prospects, the envoy said these relations stem from Cyprus’ special and long-term interaction with the Middle East. He went on to note, “Thanks to Cyprus’ strategic location, we have deep-rooted relations with the Middle East as reflected in history, culture and common values. This is reflected in the foreign policy of Cyprus, which attaches special importance to the Middle East and the Gulf regions, which has about 25 percent of its diplomatic missions around the world.
“Cyprus and Kuwait are moderate and like-minded states that understand the importance of the rule of international law in our global system and adherence to the Charter of the United Nations and United Nations Security Council resolutions, both having suffered from flagrant violations of their sovereignty. We are among the few countries that have had the experience of the post-war era, and both are two relatively small countries. We gained our independence in the early 1960s and in 1967, we appointed Fahd Al Mojel as our honorary consul in Kuwait, and he became the face of Cyprus in Kuwait for many decades and is still our friend and supporter.
“The majority of Kuwaitis discovered Cyprus in the aftermath of the Lebanese Civil War, many of whom obtained vacation homes in Cyprus and witnessed the customs and other societal denominators between the two countries. To this day, we are pleased to see many Kuwaitis visiting our country every year.
“Following the opening of embassies in 2011, several high-ranking officials in Cyprus visited Kuwait including the President in 2013 and the Foreign Ministers in 2015, 2017 and 2018 with the aim of developing relations with the signing of several agreements and memoranda of understanding. After the Corona pandemic, our bilateral interaction returned to its tracks with the visit of former Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr. Ahmed Nasser Al-Mohammed to Cyprus last January, and his subsequent visit to Brussels at the invitation of his Cypriot counterpart, and the celebration of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations.”
The Cyprus envoy disclosed that about 15 agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoU) have been signed between the two countries. These documents form the basis of bilateral relations between the two countries and provide the legal framework for them. Among these bilateral agreements and MoUs signed are:
Agreements on mutual exemption from short-stay visas for diplomatic service and special passport holders; cooperation in higher education, sciences, public health and medical sciences; avoidance of double taxation, and cooperation in the field of tourism. Some of the other documents relate to air services, technical arrangements relating to the arrival and departure of Kuwaitis to the Republic of Cyprus in the event of evacuation from the Middle East through Cyprus, and notes of political consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the two countries as well as cooperation in the energy sector, protection of cultural heritage, and several more. We are currently working on a few agreements in the field of culture and arts, sports cooperation, seawater desalination and wastewater treatment and reuse.
Last January during the visit of the former Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr. Ahmed Nasser Al-Mohammed to Cyprus, Cyprus signed a memorandum of understanding on the establishment of a joint committee for cooperation with the aim of strengthening all areas of bilateral cooperation, dialogue and information exchange. It is possible that the first meeting will be held during the next visit at the level of foreign ministers.
Admitting that the volume of trade exchange between the two countries is not up to the level of ambition and is not commensurate with the capabilities available in the two countries, the ambassador said, “We are striving to increase bilateral trade, which currently ranges between 6 and 9 million Euros annually; with the trade balance is in favor of Cyprus. Exports from Cyprus include mainly medicines, fresh fish and dairy products (hallum cheese), and as for Kuwait’s exports to Cyprus, it is mainly petroleum by-products.”
Turning to Kuwaiti investments in Cyprus, Ambassador Mavros highlighted the favorable investment climate and distinct opportunities available in a number of sectors in Cyprus. Noting that there is an increase in the number of Kuwaiti indirect investments, he added that there are no major direct investment projects so far. “Investment is one of the areas that we are working on. At the present time, there are promising investment opportunities in Cyprus in the fields of tourism, health care and education and renewable energy sources, and we will soon have a delegation from Cyprus Invest, the government’s investment authority, to promote this in Kuwait,” said the envoy.
On the issue of academic cooperation between the two countries, he said the Cypriot universities are internationally recognized for their efficiency and provide a wonderful and high-quality level of education. He added, “We welcome Kuwaiti students to study in our country, and there are some cooperation agreements between a number of universities in the two countries, but the number of Kuwaiti students in Cyprus is very low at the present time and since my arrival I have been working assiduously to create the conditions to bring in more Kuwaiti students to our country, and I expect to get some results next year.”
On another level, the Cyprus envoy said, “I must admit that I did not fully realize how deep the roots of democracy in Kuwait are, but since I came I am very impressed with the Kuwaiti parliamentary experience. I can see the challenges that exist in the cooperation between the government and parliament, but I firmly believe that the country is capable of overcoming them. I would like to see more participation of women in Parliament because they are an important component of a more balanced decision-making. I also admire the public debate in this very open and lively country.
He noted that the two friendly countries’ belief lies in international law, and their commitment to the United Nations Charter and United Nations Security Council resolutions, constitute a sound basis and an appropriate umbrella for cooperation in many files and issues of common interest on the regional and international arenas. “We have a special interest in the Middle East and the Gulf region and a deeper understanding of its issues, including the Palestinian issue, so the cooperation is very good,” stressed the ambassador.
On the issue of military cooperation, the Cyprus envoy said, Cyprus does not have military cooperation in the understandable sense, but only discussions on cooperation in the soft and logistical fields regarding the facilities provided to Kuwaitis upon arrival and departure from Cyprus in the event of evacuation from the Middle East through Cyprus. This is a facility provided by Cyprus after it played the main role in evacuating foreign nationals during the 2006 Lebanon War, and we want to engage in non-military security and safety areas including cyber security.
Speaking on Kuwaiti diplomacy, he called it ‘unique’ and called the Kuwaiti diplomats highly professional. “I felt that myself, as I received help, support and friendship from everyone here, whether in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or in all governmental bodies and outside, and all of this is highly appreciated, especially considering that Kuwait is my first stop as an ambassador for my country,” the envoy recollected.
“I can only praise Kuwait’s balanced and professional foreign policy; its pioneering role, and its continuous efforts to support and enhance stability at the regional and international levels through its support for peaceful solutions to conflicts and the strengthening of good-neighborly relations, just as Cyprus does in the eastern Mediterranean region.
“I was a direct witness to Kuwait’s commitment to pluralism when I was serving as the representative of Cyprus to the United Nations during the time when Kuwait was occupying a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council 2018-2019, and Kuwait is a country with initiatives and mediation efforts that contributed to solving many crises, perhaps the most prominent of which is reconciliation in the Gulf Cooperation Council, restoring the cohesion of the Gulf Cooperation Council, healing the rifts, and its support for the sustainable development agenda, in addition to its active role in combating terrorism and extremist ideologies.
“Kuwait’s humanitarian role is also praised by the international community, and its white hands have contributed greatly to alleviating the suffering of victims of natural and humanitarian disasters. We express our deep appreciation for the Kuwaiti principled and firm position on the Cyprus issue. More specifically, I witnessed in New York, Kuwait’s support for the continuation of the United Nations peacekeeping force in Cyprus, Kuwait has also contributed financially as well as to the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus, for which we are grateful.”
He also noted that Cyprus attaches the utmost importance to cultural exchange as it is one of the most important bridges of communication between the two friendly peoples, provides a common ground for understanding between them and contributes to the development of bilateral relations. “Therefore, I am currently working on organizing one or more events to promote Cypriot art in Kuwait, in addition to creating artistic collaborations between Cypriot and Kuwaiti artists,” revealed the envoy in conclusio.
– STAFF REPORT
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