Kasoulides declares Cypriot foreign ministry reliable again

Cypriot Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides says the Republic of Cyprus is once again a reliable partner, suggesting that a dire state of affairs during his predecessor’s tenure has been recovered.

Kasoulides was a guest on state radio Thursday morning when he confirmed reports that there had been “reliability issues” with the country’s foreign affairs.

The minister said he was referring to the recent past where diplomatic missions on the island had complaints about the Cypriot foreign department.

“The embassies would often include such issues in their reports back to their foreign ministries,” Kasoulides said.

The radio host suggested the foreign minister’s comments were referring to his predecessor, presidential candidate Nikos Christodoulides, with Kasoulides remarks were not political but a simple observation.

“Since I took office, such problems are no more,” Kasoulides said, adding that the foreign ministry has changed and this was evident through his many recent visits to foreign capitals.

Christodoulides, who is running on an independent ticket backed by the center, has been criticized of carrying out an aggressive policy and placing high demands on EU counterparts.

Back in January Christodoulides, a staunch supporter of a controversial EastMed pipeline, said he was resigning from his post to explore a possible presidential bid. The statement came around the same time a leaked document revealed Washington was backing away from public support of the ambitious project.

Christodoulides, a former government spokesperson who rose through the ranks of the ruling party DISY, is married to Philippa Karsera, who has worked as EU Sherpa while being the Acting Secretary General for European Union Affairs in the foreign ministry.

Local media often refer to the two career diplomats as Nicosia’s power couple, while recent reports said the presidential candidate’s better half was reassigned new duties after Christodoulides stepped down.