Cyprus will remain a reliable partner to Russia, especially as the island is now emerging “stronger than ever” from the financial crisis, President Nicos Anastasiades has said.
“Our journey along the road to recovery has been faster than anyone could predict three years ago,” he said in his address to the opening of the 11th Cyprus-Russian Festival on Saturday night in Limassol.
In his speech, Anastasiades asked that the Russian Ambassador convey his “deep feelings of appreciation to President Putin and Prime Minister Medvedev” and his best wishes for “steady progress and prosperity to the friendly people of Russia”.
“My own attendance here is a tangible proof that I and the government – and also the previous governments – greatly value the partnership that has been developed throughout the years between Cyprus and the Russian Federation. A partnership that we are committed to continue upgrading and enriching, so as to foster even stronger links between our Governments and peoples,” the president said.
He said that during his visit to Russia last year the partnership had been advanced through the signing of a number of bilateral agreements in the fields of education, on economic co-operation, on research and technology and on justice, with the most important being the Joint Action Programme between Cyprus and the Russian Federation for 2015-2017, an umbrella document, covering numerous areas of the prolific cooperation between the two countries.
Anastasiades also expressed his gratitude for the “vote of confidence, trust and faith which the Russian people, in particular the vibrant Russian community residing in Cyprus, as well as the Russian business community, have been displaying to Cyprus and its economic and banking system, particularly during the past three years”.
“To this end, I can assure you that Cyprus will remain a reliable partner to all of you, especially since we are now emerging stronger than ever from an unprecedented crisis.”
He also conveyed the gratitude of the government and the people of Cyprus “for Russia’s traditional principled stance” on efforts to reach a Cyprus settlement.
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