The President of the Republic Mr. Nikos Anastasiadis and the President of the Russian Federation Mr. Vladimir Putin, during their meeting today in the Kremlin, signed a Joint Action Plan, while bilateral agreements, a memorandum of cooperation and a Joint Declaration between the two countries were signed. Ministers of the Governments of Russia and Cyprus.
Specifically, agreements were signed by the competent Ministers of the two countries between the Government of the Republic of Cyprus and the Government of the Russian Federation for Merchant Shipping, International Road Transport, Maritime Transport, Communications and Information Technology. A Joint Declaration was also signed between the Government of the Republic of Cyprus and the Government of the Russian Federation for cooperation in the field of Modernization of Economies. The Joint Action Plan 2018-2020 was signed by the two Presidents.
On the sidelines of their meeting, the President of the Republic awarded President Putin the Grand Necklace of the Order of the Blessed Sacrament.
In his statements after the meeting, the President of the Republic expressed my warm thanks for both the invitation of the friend of the President and the warm hospitality. "Our current consultations and discussions have been very constructive and creative," he said, adding that ongoing contacts at all levels demonstrate the importance that Cyprus and the Russian Federation attach to further strengthening and deepening our relations and cooperation, in all areas without exception.
Cyprus and Russia are linked by long-standing ties of friendship and cooperation. Our relations are based on common cultural, spiritual and religious values, which have expanded and strengthened significantly in recent years in the fields of political, economic and defense cooperation.
Referring to the Cyprus issue, PTD said that he expressed deep gratitude and appreciation of both himself and the entire Cypriot people for the long-standing attitude of the Russian Federation in the Cyprus issue, especially within the framework of the United Nations Security Council. Principles, which are based on respect for international law, the United Nations Charter and the UN Security Council resolutions on Cyprus.
Our discussion, said President Anastasiadis, focused on the latest developments in the Cyprus issue, and more specifically on the events as they unfolded at the recent Cyprus Conference in Crans Montana, Switzerland, and in particular the reasons that did not allow a positive result to be achieved. "Unfortunately, as I explained to my friend the President, Turkey's insistence on maintaining guarantee and invasive rights and the permanent presence of Turkish troops on the territory of the Republic of Cyprus led to the failure of the Conference. I had the opportunity to reiterate to President Putin my readiness for the immediate continuation of the inter-communal dialogue but also for the need for a new Summit on Cyprus to be properly prepared. In this context, I informed the President that in the preparation of any new initiative, and in order to avoid the mistakes of the past, both the Secretary-General of the United Nations and collectively the Permanent Members of the Security Council can play a catalytic role. Of course, they also have an essential role to play in ensuring the implementation of a possible solution.
Regarding our bilateral relations, the signing of 7 new Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding, not only proves the wide range of cooperation between us, but also contributes significantly to the further deepening of our bilateral relations at the political and economic level. At the same time, they have a catalytic effect on the qualitative expansion of the existing contractual framework, which with the current ones covers 67 agreements.
We agreed with President Putin that the prospects for further development of political, economic, investment and cultural relations are favorable, and we agreed to work together, through concrete actions, to achieve this goal. With the Russian President, we had the opportunity to further discuss, as expected, the European Union's relations with the Russian Federation and the importance, for all sides, of their normalization and further strengthening and deepening. The clear position of the Republic of Cyprus, which is expressed in practice and methodically during the talks in Brussels with our European partners, is in favor of a pragmatic approach to our relationship with Moscow. EU-Russia relations are of strategic importance and we believe that cooperation between Brussels and Moscow on critical international issues is becoming increasingly imperative. Therefore, we must all work to create those conditions that will pave the way for the full restoration and further deepening of EU-Russia relations. We also exchanged views on international and regional issues, including the latest developments in Ukraine and Syria. As far as Ukraine is concerned, Cyprus is in favor of a political solution to the crisis and the exhaustion of all diplomatic means to achieve stability in eastern Ukraine. In this context, it is necessary to be committed and implement the Minsk Agreement. Regarding the Syrian crisis, Cyprus welcomed the significant reduction in hostilities in the country and welcomed Russia's constructive role in cooperating with all forces involved in an international consultation in the fight against terrorism and the "Islamic State". "We found that Cyprus, as a factor of stability and a pillar of security in the eastern Mediterranean, and with excellent relations with all countries in the region, can play a key role in our common pursuit of establishing peace and security in the region," said President Anastasiadis. .
Source: GTP
Source: RIK News