Cyprus’ role as “a constructive actor” in a region disrupted by crisis, was highlighted during a discussion on the geopolitical landscape at the Economist Summit.

“The partnership we have with the Republic of Cyprus in both of these areas is incredibly important and we are doing so much together with President Chrisodoulides and his team,” Julie Fisher, Ambassador of the USA to Cyprus said, noting it is not just about the island’s geographical location, which at these times is “inescapable.”

“We are very much reliant on both Cyprus’ geography, considering evacuation of civilians, but also looking to Cyprus and Cyprus’ leadership in terms of leveraging its relationships in the region in support of ideas like the maritime humanitarian corridor,” she added.

She also highlighted Cyprus support to the transatlantic consensus in support of Ukraine, as well as President Christodoulides' commitment in implementing sanctions against Russian oligarchs, law enforcement and maritime security.

Fisher also referred to a “dated trend,” that showed Cyprus as a place of illicit income, noting that she recognises President Christodoulides leadership in “squeezing that out.”

On the Cyprus problem, Fisher said the US continue to support the UN Security Council’s commitment to a bi-communal bizonal federation with political equality.

“And we have not just echoed but we fully supported the designation of a UN envoy to help find some fertile ground to more these talks forward,” she concluded.

On his part, Irfan Siddiq said that the crisis in Ukraine and the recent eruption of the conflict in the Gaza strip have been “really important junctions to try to reposition itself.”

He noted that Russia’s invasion in Ukraine has had a distinct impact on Cyprus, because “there was an accommodation in the past, a lot of Russian investments and some dependence on Russia in some ways."

“That has been removed and it has meant that Cyprus' strategic orientation is clearly towards the West,” the British diplomat said.

According to Siddiq, Cyprus initial reaction to the crisis in Gaza was to position itself “as a constructive actor in the region, one as the go-to regional location for evacuating foreign nationals from places of conflict and that sort being a productive regional actor that others can depend upon and try to increase its utility to international partners in that way.”

He furthermore noted that the proposition for a maritime humanitarian corridor also plays to that about how Cyprus can be an effective actor.

Moreover, Siddiq noted President Christodoulides' earlier remarks that the status quo is not static, stating that we cannot rely on the status quo to persist.

He recalled attempts in the northern occupied part of the island to change the status quo such as in Pyla, the developments in the fenced-off city of Varosha, the challenges to status of the UN Peace keeping Force.

“All attempts to amend the status quo  and it is really important to assume that the status quo would persist and to get ahead of it.  And I think that if there is any single lesson Cyprus can draw in terms of risks to its own security is that you can’t be complacent,” he stated.

On his part, Ial Lesser, Vice President of the German Marshall Fund US, said that utilising its location, “Cyprus is a euro Atlantic asset,” both now with its role concerning humanitarian assistance as well as future issues such as maritime security.

“If the EU is serious about becoming a more significant geopolitical actor this region is where the test is,” he concluded.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.