US and Cyprus launch a strategic dialogue to bolster security

US and Cypriot officials on Wednesday launched a strategic dialogue they said would bolster security and stability in a crisis-wracked region through initiatives including counterterrorism training of personnel from Middle Eastern countries and fighting sanctions evasion.

"It is a big moment in the relationship between our countries and to be part of this feels like being part of an historic occasion," US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O'Brien said at a news conference.

Cyprus' clear policy shift toward deepening US relations after decades of walking a tightrope between Washington and Moscow gained added steam after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

The US official pointed to a US-funded center on the island nation under the acronym CYCLOPS that trains personnel from Cyprus and neighboring countries on maritime and...