Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 10-06-20

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From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>

CONTENTS

[01] RUSSIA CYPRIOT FM VISIT

[02] PRESIDENT CYPRUS ISSUE

[01] RUSSIA CYPRIOT FM VISIT

Top-level and high-level political contacts have been maintained between the two countries, Nesterenko said, referring to the successful official visit in November 2008 of Cyprus President Demetris Christofias, to the Russian Federation.

Kyprianous visit, he added, falls in the framework of the protocol signed in June 1994 on consultations between the Foreign Ministries of the two countries.

Nesterenko said that Kyprianou will have talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

The two Ministers, he said, will discuss a broad spectrum of bilateral and international issues, including the Cyprus issue.

``There will also be an exchange views on collaboration between Russia and the European Union, the Iranian nuclear program and the situation in the Balkans, he added.

The Russian official stressed that the positions of Russia and Cyprus are identical or very close here.

Both countries favor a stronger central role for the UN in international relations as the main universal institution for the maintenance of peace and security. We are grateful to Cyprus for the constructive support of the international debate on the Draft European Security Treaty and for the positive reaction to the Draft Treaty, he noted.

As regards the bilateral relations in trade, economy and tourism, Nesterenko pointed out that Cyprus continues to remain a stable economic partner of Russia, and one of the leading channels for attracting foreign investments into the Russian economy.

According to Russian data, the total stock of accumulated Cyprus investment in 2009 amounted to 49.1 billion US dollars, including direct investment 33.5 billion US dollars. According to data released by the Federal Customs Service of Russia, the volume of trade turnover in 2009 amounted to 815 million US dollars, he said.

In addition, he said that business relations with Cyprus via the Federations constituent entities keep increasing. Longtime strong ties exist between the municipalities of Moscow and Nicosia.

He added that since 1992 an Intergovernmental Agreement on cooperation in the development of the Black Sea region of Russia has been in place envisioning Cyprus assistance, including by attracting foreign investment, to the economic development of Krasnodar Territory.

``Within the framework of this cooperation, we welcome the participation of Cyprus construction and financial companies in the preparation of the upcoming Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games``, he said.

Nesterenko also said that Cyprus remains one of the most attractive tourist destinations for Russians.

In 2009 Cyprus was visited by about 150,000 tourists from Russia. The first few months of 2010 saw a positive trend: the number of Russians who visited Cyprus increased by 14.3% compared to the same period in 2009, he continued.

Finally, the Russian FM Spokesman expressed hope Kyprianous visit to Moscow to serve to further deepen the fruitful cooperation and rapprochement of the two countries and peoples.

[02] PRESIDENT CYPRUS ISSUE

In an address at the end of term event at the Rizokarpaso high school for Greek Cypriots in the Turkish occupied areas, which was read out by the Director of his Office Vassos Georgiou, President Christofias said that ``the effort is hard`` but noted that ``we press on with faith, drawing strength and courage from your example, the enclaved persons, you who stand sound in your home and keep the hope for the reunification of our homeland and people alive.``

``In our homeland, the choice is a one-way street. After all the inflictions put upon us, everyone must at last realise that 36 years of division are too much. Our Cyprus must be reunified with a viable and functional solution and our people must once again live together and create a hopeful future,`` he said.

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