Andreas Theophanous, Professor Emeritus and President of the Cyprus Center for European and International Affairs, emphasizes the need for the Republic of Cyprus to bolster its statehood and strategic partnerships to counter ongoing threats from Turkey. Highlighting Turkey's consistent opposition to Cyprus' military agreements with countries like France and Israel, Theophanous warns against acquiescing to Ankara's attempts to exert strategic control over the island.

He critiques views that blame the Greek Cypriot side for the Cyprus problem and calls for rational partnerships based on reciprocity to enhance Cyprus' defense without entangling the country in foreign conflicts. Theophanous stresses the importance of invoking guarantees from Britain and Greece, as stipulated in the 1960 Agreements, and urges the European Union to uphold Cyprus' security and territorial integrity.

According to Theophanous, while maximalist positions may be unrealistic, pursuing arrangements that improve the status quo and strengthen Cyprus' deterrence capabilities is legitimate and imperative to safeguard the nation's sovereignty against external pressures.