NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus could apply to become a member of NATO once its armed forces receive the necessary training and equipment with U.S. help to bring them up to the standards of the world's premier military alliance, the president of the Mediterranean island nation said Thursday.
President Nikos Christodoulides put Cyprus on a trajectory for possible NATO membership, ending weeks of media speculation about his government's intentions following his meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington last month. The development goes against Cyprus' long-held policy of neutrality harking back to the Cold War era, when it walked a political tightrope between Washington and Moscow.
Christodoulides said although Cyprus can't join NATO at this time because of objections that Turkey would raise to its potential membership, the Cypriot National Guard shouldn't be denied the opportunity to upgrade its defensive capabilities with U.S. assistance.
Turkey, which maintains more than 35,000 troops in the breakaway Turkish Cypriot northern part of ethnically divided Cyprus, doesn’t recognize the island’s government, which is based in the Greek Cypriot southern part.
Christodoulides didn't elaborate on how Turkish objections could be sidestepped. But the U.N. is currently working to prepare for a resumption of peace talks between the rival sides in Cyprus, which was split in 1974 when Turkey invaded following a coup by supporters of uniting the island with Greece.
“And because we don't want the National Guard to lose such opportunities, we're in talks with the U.S. -- and we thank them for their positive response -- on how the Cyprus Republic can make the best use of these opportunities, so when everything is in its place, the Cyprus Republic can become a member state of NATO,” Christodoulides told The Associated Press.
“The strengthening of the Cyprus Republic's deterrent capabilities is of the utmost importance, and we take advantage of every opportunity, both in the direction of the United States and NATO, but also the European Union.”
Christodoulides said Cyprus' geographic location -- it's the closest EU member state to the Middle East at just 182 kilometers (114 miles) from the Lebanese capital, Beirut -- has given impetus to planned upgrades to its military infrastructure. He said the government is currently in talks with the U.S. for upgrades to a key air base and with the EU for a naval base.
Following his meeting with Biden, Christodoulides told the AP of his government's commitment to expanding defense and security cooperation with the U.S.
Cyprus' Andreas Papandreou air base on its southwestern edge is currently hosting a U.S. Marine contingent and a number of V-22 Osprey tiltrotor military transport and cargo aircraft prepositioned to assist in potential evacuations from nearby Lebanon and elsewhere.
FILE - A police officer holds a Cyprus' flag as two soldiers salute during a ceremony before a military parade marking the 63th anniversary of Cyprus' independence from British colonial rule, in divided capital Nicosia, Cyprus, on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias, File)
FILE - Cyprus' soldiers on a military vehicle pass during a military parade marking the 63th anniversary of Cyprus' independence from British colonial rule, in divided capital Nicosia, Cyprus, on Sunday, Oct. 1 2023. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias, File)
FILE - A Cyprus' military helicopter flies over a military parade marking the 63th anniversary of Cyprus' independence from British colonial rule, in the divided capital Nicosia, Cyprus, on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias, File)
EDINBURGH, Scotland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 28, 2024--
Technology developed by Scottish biotech Biotangents, which has announced its latest investment round, is set to revolutionise the dairy farming industry with the world’s fastest on-farm, point-of-care diagnostic device aimed at addressing disease in dairy cows. Bovine mastitis alone is estimated to cost the global dairy farming industry around £20 billion every year, costing the average UK dairy farm up to £25,000 per annum.
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The company developed its technology due to the timeframe of existing diagnostics, which take so long that farmers resort to presumptively treating herds, predominantly with antibiotics that are estimated to be unnecessary in up to 40 percent of cases. In turn, this increases the anti-microbial resistance of the herd, decreases life expectancy, and increases milk wastage, leading to negative environmental impact and significant costs.
Biotangents’s solution is a cost effective, innovative on-farm molecular diagnostic device that provides highly accurate results in less than two hours, safely enabling the farmer to make an informed treatment decision. The data is sent to the farmer’s phone and, if required, can be sent to their management system, vets, and milk processors.
While focused on next generation diagnostics for the animal health sector, Biotangents also sees future applications for its technology, including in human healthcare and environmental monitoring.
The £2.3 million investment round was led by St Andrews-based investment firm Eos and British Business Investments through their Regional Angels Programme, and existing investors and Kelvin Capital and Scottish Enterprise. Senior agritech adviser Nicky Deasy joins the board on behalf of Eos as an investor director. Following the investment, Biotangents will commence on-farm trials across the UK and internationally later next year.
Fiona Marshall, CEO of Biotangents, said: “Biotangents is on the cusp of full market launch with a technology that leads to better herd health, much improved productivity, and significantly higher levels of sustainability.”
Jill Arnold, Investment Relationship Director at Eos, said: “Scottish science that improves lives, and has global market potential, is core to our focus at Eos and Biotangents fits that criteria perfectly, not just in terms of addressing antimicrobial resistance in livestock, but also in improved animal husbandry.”
Ross McDermid, CCO at Biotangents, said: “This investment endorses our game-changing technology, and means we can now seize the huge market opportunity to support farmers, vets, and the wider dairy industry.”
About Biotangents
Biotangents is developing next generation molecular diagnostics for the animal health sector, specifically livestock, to further animal welfare, productivity, sustainability, and food security. Biotangents was founded in 2015 as a spinout from the University of Edinburgh, and is headquartered at the Pentlands Science Park near the city. For more information on Biotangents: https://www.biotangents.co.uk/
Left to right are Ross McDermid (CCO) AND Fiona Marshall (CEO) of Biotangents. Technology developed by the Scottish biotech, which has announced its latest investment round, is set to revolutionise the dairy farming industry with the world’s fastest on-farm, point-of-care diagnostic device aimed at addressing disease in dairy cows. Bovine mastitis alone is estimated to cost the global dairy farming industry around £20 billion every year, costing the average UK dairy farm up to £25,000 per annum. (Photo: Business Wire)
