Türkiye, ISA & military MoU on agenda during India, Cyprus Foreign Minister talks

India's external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar will be on a three-day visit to Cyprus from Thursday, during which he will hold talks with his Cypriot counterpart Ioannis Kasoulides as both sides firm up ties on a range of issues from trade to connectivity. This is the first ever visit by an Indian external affairs minister to Cyprus in more than a decade, the last being of Pranab Mukherjee in May 2007.

The visit comes in a year when India, Cyprus mark 60 years of diplomatic ties and will see discussions on "economic cooperation of the two countries, EU-India relations.." and "Turkey's provocative actions against Cyprus" according to a release by Cyprus foreign ministry. Historically, Turkiye and Cyprus relationship remains strained over Ankara's backing of Northern Cyprus as a separate state and other historical issues. Last year, India was quick to support Cyprus after Turkiye was seen violating UNSC resolutions by opening the ghost town of Varosha.

Varosha was once a popular resort town but was abandoned after the 1974 invasion of the Mediterranean island by Turkey. The invasion led to the division of the country into two-- Republic of Cyprus and the northern--Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) recognized only by Ankara

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Both the foreign ministers will hold talks on Thursday and sign Memorandum of Understanding on defense and military cooperation and a pact to include Cyprus into the India Headquartered International Solar Alliance. They will also sign a Declaration of Intent to start negotiations on a pact on immigration and mobility. Pact on mobility allows easier movement of people and India has signed many such pact including with Germany earlier this month.

This will be the 3rd meeting between Minister Jaishankar and his counterpart minister Ioannis. Both earlier met on the sidelines of CHOGM 2022 in Kigali, Rwanda in June this year and at the sidelines of 77th UNGA in New York in September. Connectivity will be another key focus even as Cyprus readout pointed that "prospect of India's participation in a regional mechanism with countries of the region" will be discussed. Remember, Plans afoot for connectivity from Mediterranean to India via Gulf.

The two Ministers will address the Cyprus-India business forum that will take place in Limassol. EAM's other engagements include an interaction with the Indian Diaspora and call on with President of the House of Representatives, Annita Demetriou.Cyprus supports India on crucial issues including India’s bid for UNSC, the India-US Civil Nuclear Agreement, the NSG and the IAEA. The Mediterranean country backed India after Pokhran-II tests in 1998, removal of special status for the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.