More than any other EU Member State, Cyprus has a direct stake in achieving security and stability in the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean; its closest neighbours to the East are Israel, Lebanon and Syria – the latter being the new hot bed for religious extremism. At this Policy Briefing, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus Ioannis Kasoulides talked about the role his country could play in the EU’s policy towards the Middle East, the stalled peace talks with the Turkish Cypriot community, Cyprus’ gas exploration and the role of Turkey as well as the country’s relationship with Russia.