BREITBART| Published December 23, 2024
The president of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides told Breitbart News exclusively on Sunday that he is appointing a new “Special Representative” of his government for religious freedoms to focus on protecting Christians and other religious minorities throughout the Middle East.
“Recognizing the critical importance of protecting religious freedoms and supporting minorities in the Middle East, I decided to proceed with this appointment,” Christodoulides said in a phone interview on Sunday. “We aim to work for the protection of Christians and other minorities through dialogue with states in the region and neighboring countries to strengthen their rights and promote sustainable solutions to the challenges they face but also to raise awareness in the European Union of this issue and to support the European Union’s efforts on taking under consideration the rights of these religious groups in our region.”
The appointment, per an announcement the government will release on Monday, is for Thessalia Salina Shambos — currently the political director of Cyprus’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the nation’s former ambassador to Israel — to serve as Special Representative of the Republic of Cyprus for Religious Freedoms and Protection of Minorities in the Middle East. The announcement of course comes right before Christmas, and is welcome news for Christians throughout the Middle East who have long faced difficulty but even more so now after the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime in Syria and heightened hostilities between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Both Christodoulides and Cyprus’s Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos told Breitbart News they look forward to working with President-elect Donald Trump, Vice President-elect JD Vance, and Secretary of State-designate Marco Rubio on religious freedom matters next year when they take office. Christodoulides was one of the first world leaders to speak with Trump after he won the election on Nov. 5 and served previously as Minister of Foreign Affairs during the second half of Trump’s first term. Back then, in 2020, then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Cyprus on his way back from meeting with the leader of the Taliban in Qatar as part of Trump’s push for peace in Afghanistan. Breitbart News accompanied Pompeo on that trip and visited the presidential palace with him in Nicosia.
“I will tell you what I mentioned to President Trump when I talked on the phone with him: Cyprus is a predictable, reliable partner of the United States in this region,” Christodoulides told Breitbart News. “If we work together, I think we can fully safeguard Christians’ rights in the region.”
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SOURCE: www.breitbart.com
RELATED: US welcomes Cyprus’ move on Christian minorities in Middle East
Bishop Andrew Bahhi attends the morning Sunday mass at St. George’s Syriac Orthodox Church – Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch at the Old City of Damascus, after the ousting of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Syria, Sunday. [Amr Abdallah Dalsh/Reuters]
EKATHIMERINI | Published December 23, 2024
In a region undergoing profound structural changes and historic power realignments, the Republic of Cyprus is not just observing the shifting dynamics, but actively seeking a role for itself in shaping the future.
President Nikos Christodoulides has emerged as the first leader in the region to appoint a special representative for religious freedoms and the protection of minorities in the Middle East. This important move underscores both the pressing need for substantive engagement on such a critical issue and the strategic importance attributed to it by the team of the next US president, Donald Trump.
In a decision that has already been welcomed in Washington, Christodoulides appointed Thessalia Salina Shambos as special representative for promoting humanitarian and developmental assistance to religious minorities. Her mandate will prioritize health, education and reintegration programs for victims while emphasizing the protection of cultural heritage through initiatives aimed at restoring and safeguarding religious and cultural monuments.
According to sources, Shambos also intends to enhance Cyprus’ diplomatic profile as a bridge between the European Union and the Middle East, leveraging the nation’s unique geographical, cultural and historical advantages.
The timing of this appointment aligns with Cyprus’ upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2026, further amplifying its significance and influence.
As the new governments in Syria and Lebanon are expected to seek EU assistance, Cyprus is positioned to amplify the voices of Christian minorities, advocating for their rights and likely securing tangible concessions for their protection. Observers believe Cyprus will wield substantial influence over these developments, tackling a critical issue of high priority for the next US administration and the powerful Christian lobbies supporting it.
Trump’s inner circle is already paying close attention to the initiatives of regional players, as evidenced by Breitbart News – which is regaining prominence – highlighting this appointment. In an interview with Christodoulides, it framed the initiative as perfectly aligned with Trump’s foreign policy priorities of protecting Christian minorities.
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SOURCE: www.ekathimerini.com
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