France to help Cyprus renovate its Mari base

(B2) The French Navy will be allowed to use the naval base at Mari for its ships. Cypriot Defense Ministers Savvas Angelides and French Defense Minister Florence Parly signed a declaration of intent during their meeting in Paris on 15 May.

The two parties confirmed their intention to cooperate with a view to strengthening the military capabilities of the Republic of Cyprus and to a broader strategic cooperation for the benefit of both countries. The French minister reaffirmed “France's strong support for Cyprus and condemned Turkey's [recent] actions, which violate international law, the law of the sea and the sovereign rights of Cyprus in its exclusive economic zone.

This cooperation will take a very concrete form. The naval base of Mari (Evangelos Florakis) will be renovated, to allow the reception of larger ships, such as the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in particular. The two countries will notably share the cost of a new wharf at the naval base for this purpose.

For Cyprus, the modernization of its maritime infrastructure is a priority, listed, according to Minister Savvas Angelides, within the framework of the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO). " Our concern is to ensure that this infrastructure is used by Cyprus but also by the European Union he explained during a press conference held in Nicosia on May 23. Objective : " make it clear to everyone that Cyprus has a role to play in this region ».

(NGV)