AHI Forum Examines Cyprus’s New Strategic Importance

“A Completely New Picture of Cyprus is Emerging”

WASHINGTON, DC — The American Hellenic Institute (AHI) hosted a forum titled “Cyprus: Defining a New Strategic Role,” featuring Dr. Farid Mirbagheri, professor, International Relations, and dialogue chair in Middle Eastern Studies, University of Nicosia, Cyprus, at Hellenic House, September, 20 2011. The forum was held in cooperation with Strategy International (Thessaloniki).

According to Dr. Mirbargeri Cyprus’s traditional significance has long been defined by its geographic location, its democratic ideals, its ability to house military bases for a nation like Great Britain, and its economic relationship with Russia. However, it is Cyprus’s latest developments with respect to gas and oil exploration, in cooperation with the U.S. firm Noble Energy and its emerging relations with Israel that defines Cyprus’s new strategic role. As a result, “a completely new picture of Cyprus is emerging,” he said.

“We were pleased to host such an important forum about a very contemporary and ever-developing topic,” said AHI President Nick Larigakis. “The prospect that Cyprus can become a viable energy resource for the region especially to Europe and Israel will greatly affect Cyprus’s geopolitical importance to its benefit despite Turkish threats. We agree with Dr. Mirbargeri that a new picture of Cyprus is emerging.”

Dr. Mirbargeri added that amid these latest developments that there has been much more focus placed upon Cyprus’s intelligence, technological, military, geopolitical, and natural resource capacity in the region.

To view a video of Dr. Mirbargeri’s presentation, please click here.

The American Hellenic Institute is a non-profit Greek American public policy center that works to strengthen relations between the United States and Greece and Cyprus, and within the Greek American community.

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For additional information, please contact Demetra Atsaloglou at (202) 785-8430 or at pr@ahiworld.org. For general information about the activities of AHI, please see our website at https://www.ahiworld.org.