It is with distinct pleasure that I receive today your Letters of Credence appointing you as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Cyprus. Please accept my sincere congratulations and my warmest wishes for every success in the discharge of your important duties.

I wish to assure you that both myself and my Government will extend every possible assistance to you in the fulfilment of your mission. You assume your duties at an important juncture for Cyprus–United States relations, and I look forward to working closely with you to further strengthen our Strategic Partnership, advance our shared objectives and translate the strength of our relationship into tangible benefits for our two peoples, while contributing to peace, security and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean and beyond.

Cyprus and the United States (US) today enjoy a relationship of unprecedented breadth, anchored in shared democratic values, mutual respect, the rule of law and a steadfast commitment to peace, stability, security and prosperity. In recent years, we have elevated our relationship into a comprehensive and results-oriented Strategic Partnership, encompassing political dialogue, security and defence, law enforcement, energy, trade and investment, education and innovation and increasingly close people-to-people ties.

Since assuming office, my Government has made the further strengthening of our relations with the US a strategic priority. Cyprus has consistently demonstrated that it is a reliable and trusted partner of the US as well as a pillar of stability in the Eastern Mediterranean – a region of profound strategic importance to both our countries.

The elevation of our relations to a strategic level has laid a solid and enduring foundation for the next phase of our partnership. Building on this progress, we very much look forward to convening the Second Cyprus–United States Strategic Dialogue at the earliest possible opportunity, giving renewed impetus and strategic direction to an ambitious agenda for cooperation.

Over the past three years, Cyprus and the US have achieved substantial progress across a wide range of areas. In security and defence, the Cyprus–U.S. Defence Cooperation Dialogue, the 2024–2029 Roadmap for Bilateral Defence Cooperation, Cyprus’ access to the Foreign Military Sales and Excess Defence Articles programmes, expanding joint training and exercises, the admission of Cypriot citizens to US Service Academies, and our cooperation on defence infrastructure all reflect the increasingly strategic nature of our relationship.

In energy and the economy, leading American companies in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone play an instrumental role in the development of Cyprus’ offshore energy resources, while the 3+1 partnership among Cyprus, Greece, Israel and the US provides an important platform for regional energy security and cooperation. Growing US business engagement also reflects increasing confidence in Cyprus as well as in the opportunities that lie ahead.

In this context, my visit to the US last year helped pave the way for significant US. investments and partnerships, including initiatives involving Tenstorrent, NVIDIA and Plug and Play, with additional announcements expected in the fields of innovation and advanced technologies. Building on these results, a new investment and business outreach visit to the US is planned soon, as we seek to attract high-value investment and establish Cyprus as a regional hub for technological innovation.

In law enforcement and security cooperation, the CYCLOPS training centre in Larnaka, jointly established by Cyprus and the US, has emerged as a flagship regional initiative, providing specialised training to thousands of participants from more than 50 countries. We stand ready to further deepen cooperation further in areas including maritime security, cybersecurity, countering sanctions evasion and emerging security challenges.

Education and people-to-people ties are also flourishing, with cooperation continuing to expand through initiatives such as the new 2026 Memorandum of Understanding on the Fulbright Student English Assistants programme and the renewed growth in the number of Cypriot students pursuing their studies in the US.

At the same time, we remain firmly committed to joining the U.S. Visa Waiver Programme. We see this as an important next step in our bilateral relationship – one that would facilitate travel, encourage greater exchanges and further strengthen the enduring bonds between our peoples.

Cyprus’ position at the crossroads of Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East brings both opportunities and responsibilities. We are determined to remain a force for stability and to demonstrate that Cyprus is part of the solution to the challenges confronting our region.

In times of regional crisis, Cyprus and the US have repeatedly worked side by side. Cyprus has served as a humanitarian and evacuation hub, including for American citizens and other third-country nationals, and has facilitated humanitarian assistance to Gaza through the Cyprus Maritime Corridor. We remain committed to working closely with the US and our regional partners in support of humanitarian efforts, crisis management, regional stability and the pursuit of lasting peace in the Middle East.

We also attach particular importance to strengthening EU–United States relations. During Cyprus’ Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) in the first half of 2026, strengthening transatlantic dialogue was among our priorities. As a committed EU member state and a close partner of the US, Cyprus will continue to work towards a strong, resilient and forward-looking transatlantic relationship.

At this point, allow me to extend our sincere gratitude for the principled and long-standing position of the US to the Cyprus problem and to our efforts to reach a comprehensive and viable settlement, based on the agreed United Nations (UN)-framework and the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, the US has an important role to play in supporting efforts towards a reunited, peaceful and prosperous Cyprus.

The current status quo cannot constitute the future of Cyprus and its people. The unacceptable military occupation by Turkey of more than one third of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus must end. In this regard, we welcomed the visit of UN Secretary-General António Guterres to Cyprus in July 2026 as an important demonstration of renewed UN engagement and we remain fully committed to the Secretary-General’s effort towards a lasting settlement that will reunify Cyprus.

The remarkable progress achieved in Cyprus–United States relations provides us with a strong foundation, but also with a responsibility to remain ambitious about what our two countries can accomplish together. I am confident that the years ahead hold considerable promise and that, during your tenure, we can further broaden the scope, deepen the substance and strengthen the strategic value of our cooperation.

I very much look forward to working with you in a spirit of trust, openness and friendship.

In closing, please convey to the President of the United States of America, Mr Donald J. Trump, my warmest greetings and a message of enduring friendship and partnership from the Government and the people of the Republic of Cyprus.

Ambassador Breslow, I warmly welcome you to Cyprus.