Cyprus' Strategic Importance (Dispatch)
Video Transcript:
Video Transcript
The Republic of Cyprus will assume the European Union's rotating presidency on July 1. Cyprus' presidential run begins less than a week after the country formally applied for a financial bailout from the EU rescue funds. Not exactly an impressive resume line for an incoming president. However, because of its geographic location, Cyprus is of strategic importance for a number of powerful countries -- inside and outside of Europe -- giving the country more geopolitical heft than it first might appear.
Cyprus is a tiny island nation in the northeast corner of the Mediterranean Sea. Despite its geographic proximity to Anatolia and the Levant, Cyprus is often considered a southern European country due to historical and cultural ties. Cyprus joined the European Union in 2004 and became a eurozone member in 2008.
Cyprus' location makes it an essential part of any security dynamic in the region. Despite its non-member status, it is a critical component of NATO's Mediterranean operations and would play a central role in the event of NATO intervention in the Levant. This is particularly important to France, which has strong ties to Syria and Lebanon. The United Kingdom hosts two sovereign airbases with approximately 8,000 troops in the southern portion of the island. And the U.S. sees Cyprus as critical for maintaining control of Mediterranean waters and securing the presence of the U.S. Navy's Sixth Fleet.
NATO countries are not alone when it comes to security concerns in the eastern Mediterranean. Cyprus' relationship with Israel is complicated to say the least. But the island is a critical intelligence gathering post for Israel and a number of other countries. Furthermore, Israel is proactively warming relations with Cyprus to cooperate in developing offshore hydrocarbon reserves in both Cypriot and Israeli maritime borders.
Even a country more geographically removed like Russia, has a strategic interest in enhancing ties with Cyprus. Cyprus has long been a primary offshore banking haven for Russia. The relationship is so strong that Moscow doled out a 2.5 billion euro ($3.1 billion) loan to support the country less than a year ago. This time around, Russia offered to provide Cyprus with at least 5 billion euros prior to its application for EU aid. More recently, Russia's security interests in Cyprus have increased over concerns that the political instability in Syria could threaten Russia's only Mediterranean port. Given its close security ties with NATO, it is unlikely that Cyprus has much it can offer to Russia in this realm. Still, Russian submarines routinely patrol in Cypriot waters without being harassed, giving Russia more access to the Mediterranean than it would have otherwise.
As Cyprus prepares to take the presidential stage, the world may be focusing on the country's current financial disasters. But Cyprus has an enduring strategic importance that gives it an unexpected degree of geopolitical clout, which will help it to ride out its current troubles and should not be overlooked.
