NICOSIA, November 24. /TASS/. Cyprus submitted to the US a plan to join NATO, the Greek newspaper Kathimerini reported on Sunday.
According to the report, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulidis presented the plan to his American counterpart Joe Biden on a visit to Washington on October 30.
The newspaper described the plan as "detailed, thoughtful, planned for the long term and consisting of many interdependent stages" and said Biden accepted it well. Christodoulidis indicated his priorities were the formalization of relations between Cyprus and NATO, which envisages consistent progress in some areas, including the Cyprus problem and the development of relations between Brussels and Ankara, the report said.
Also, Nicosia reportedly asked to buy some military equipment from Washington as part of a three or five-year agreement, and sought help in bringing Cyprus’ military capabilities to NATO standards.
According to Kathimerini, Christodoulidis also presented the plan to NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the recent European Political Community summit in Budapest.