RA PRESIDENT TO BE ON STATE VISIT TO CYPRUS ON NOVEMBER 22-25 ATTENTION, MATERIAL ADDED
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Nov 21 2006
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 21, NOYAN TAPAN. RA President Robert Kocharian will
be on a state visit in Cyprus on November 22-25 by the invitation of
Tassos Papadopoulos, the President of the Republic of Cyprus.
The main goal of the visit is to strengthen the interstate ties,
plan primary tasks and directions of the Armenian-Cypriot economic
cooperation, exchange opinions concerning political problems
interesting for one another as well as to give new quality and content
to the two peoples’ traditional friendship through stimulating mutual
cooperation.
A private conversation of the Presidents of Armenia and Cyprus will
take place within the framework of the state visit. The two countries’
heads will participate in the Armenian-Cypriot negotiations in
enlarged staff.
According to the information submitted to Noyan Tapan by the RA
President’s Press Office, R.Kocharian will have meetings in Cyprus
with Demetris Christofias, the Speaker of the House of Representatives,
All Cyprus Archbishop Chrisostomos II and Nicosia Mayor.
The RA President will visit the Nicosia Saint Virgin church,
will lay flowers to the monument to Armenian Genocide victims,
will have a meeting with members of the diocesan and administrative
council of the Armenian community of Cyprus. At the "Narek" Armenian
Academy R.Kocharian will be present at a short ceremony with pupils’
participation.
The delegation headed by the RA President will visit Larnaca as well
where it will take part in the ceremony of putting the foundation stone
of the monument dedicated to the Armenian Genocide victims’ memory.
REFERENCE: Cyprus recognized Armenia’s independence in December 1991.
The diplomatic relations between the two countries were established
in March 1992.
Armenia appreciates the current level of the Armenian-Cyprian relations
and intends to deepen the bilateral cooperation.
>>From the viewpoint of ensuring the continuity of the political dialog
between the two countries and encouraging the economic relations,
the current state visit of President Robert Kocharian is of special
significance, as this is the first presidential visit in the mutial
relations of Armenia and Cyprus.
Armenia and Cyprus have not only historical similiarities connected
with the past, but also a similar vision of the future – to integrate
fully into the European family. In this respect the European
Neighborhood Policy opens new prospects of cooperation, and Armenia
expects Cyprus to provide effective assistance during the cooperation
under this program.
Our country is also interested in developing the trade and economic
relations with Cyprus. Cyprus is an international banking and business
center. 30 foreign banks and more than a thousand foreign companies
operate in this country. It has also become an importance center of
navigation and its navy currently ranks sixth in the world.
Over 30 thousand offshore companies operate in Cyprus. The country’s
tourism is developing rapidly, becoming the main source of foreign
currency inflow. Today tourism provides about 76.2% of the country’s
GDP, employing about 69% of the working population of Cyprus. About
2.5 million tourists visit Cyprus every year.
The Cyprian government encourages the creation of the high technologies
industry by establishing research and technological development
centers in the country.
There is favorable legal field for developing the economic cooperation
between Armenia and Cyprus. Given the large experience of Cyprian
companies in tourism and services, as well as the investment
opportunities of the Cyprian side, the Armenian side attaches
importance to development of the cooperation with Cyprus in torism,
services, and the banking sector.
Holding business forums and establishing a mutuallly beneficial
cooperation among chambers of commerce and industry and development
agencies may become an important component in developing the trade
and economic relations and increasing the trade turnover.
Armenia also attaches special importance to the development of
interparliamentary links, which will be of great use for further
strengthening of the relations between the two countries.
As a result of the parliamentary elections in Cyprus on May 21,
2006, two Armenians were elected, one of them – as a full member,
another as representative of the Armenian community. Mario Karoyan
was elected from the Democratic Party: it was for the first time that
an Armenian was elected a full member of the Cyprian parliament.
During a regular congress of Cyprus’ ruling party Diko (Democratic
Party) in October 2006, Mario Karoyan was elected as the new Chairman
of the Diko Party.
Vardges Mahtesian represents the Cyprian Armenian community in the
parliament. He was elected in the community elections.
In 1982 the Cyprian parliament recognized the Armenian Genocide.
Thanks to the mediation of the Cyprus-Armenia Friendship Group, the
Cyprian government made a decision to build a monument to Armenian
emigrants in Larnaca – in the city’s part near the sea where some
Armenian emigrants first appeared in 1915.