Security matters, as well as improving relations between Cyprus and the United States and developments in the Eastern Mediterranean were at the centre of the first meeting between President Nikos Christodoulides and newly appointed US ambassador John Breslow on Tuesday.

“We talked about the great cooperation the United States and Cyprus have and all the projects we are collaborating on,” Breslow said after the meeting.

The ambassador said that he was “extremely happy” to be in Cyprus and was looking forward to further cooperation with Christodoulides.

During their meeting, the two discussed issues related to the visa waiver programme, energy, including the presence of two major American companies in Cyprus, as well as bilateral cooperation in other sectors, including trade and security.

Breslow is scheduled to visit the Andreas Papandreou air base in Paphos as one of his next steps.

The airbase is currently being expanded with American funding, upgrades that will allow it to accommodate transport aircraft and support emergency or humanitarian missions.