Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Nov 24 2006

CYPRUS MUST SUPPORT ARMENIA IN ALL INTERNATIONAL AND POLITICAL
ISSUES, PRESIDENT OF CYPRUS STATES

NICOSIA, NOVEMBER 24, NOYAN TAPAN. The official ceremony of meeting
the RA President took place on November 23 at the President’s
residence of Cyprus, after what Robert Kocharian laid a wreath at the
monument to first President of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios.

Then a private conversation of Presidents Robert Kocharian and Tassos
Papadopoulos took place. A wide circle of issues relating to
economic, humanitarian, educational, banking, cultural spheres as
well as to regional cooperation was discussed during the negotiations
in an enlarged staff followed the private conversation.

An agreement "On Cooperation in Struggle against Organized and other
Types of Crimes" was signed as a result. Working groups were
instructed to jointly work out practical proposals and programs in
the directions of issues arisen during the negotiations.

At the press conference followed the negotiations, the two countries’
Presidents emphasized especially the warm and practical atmosphere
which accompanied the whole process of negotiations.

Expressing satisfaction on the occasion of the RA President’s first
state visit and negotiations, T.Papadopoulos mentioned that during
both personal and official meetings the Cypriot side assured the RA
President that it is willing to deepen the existing bilateral
friendly ties, to more widen the cooperation. "Cyprus must support
Armenia in all international and political issues," the President of
Cyprus stated. In implementation of bilateral agreements, he
especially attached importance to the Armenian community’s role,
which, according to characterization of T.Papadopoulos, is a
community having a high level and has been leading in all spheres.

"Our peoples and countries have very warm relations and an active
dialogue. We have today attempted to widen that dialogue especially
in the sphere of economy," the RA President mentioned.

In R.Kocharian’s words, Armenia and Cyprus have always assisted one
another at different international structures. Today Armenia has
great expectations in the sense of borrowing the experience of Cyprus
in reforms being implemented within the framework of the European
Union New Neighbourhood Policy. The Cypriot side expressed readiness
to cooperate and show considerable assistance to Armenia on that way.

"Cyprus has from the first moment assisted Armenia’s involvement in
the EU Neighbourhood program. It supposes a great number of reforms,
and we are ready to assist their practical implementation,"
T.Papadopoulos assured in his turn.

Responding the question what precept the RA President has to the
Cypriot people within the context of the Turkish-Cypriot relations,
R.Kocharian mentioned that the Armenian side’s attitude can be
estimated with those votes that Armenia displays at different
international instances in issues relating to Cyprus. "We would like
to see the issue of Cyprus solved within the framework of notions of
that country’s people and government what we re-affirmed during this
meeting as well," the RA President said.

Robert Kocharian invited his colleague from Cyprus to visit Armenia
the next year.

As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA President’s Press Office, the
meeting of President Robert Kocharian and Demetrias Christofias, the
President of the House of Representatives of Cyprus was also held in
a warm and friendly atmosphere. The sides agree that the political
cooperation must more strengthen, the legislative cooperation must
more deepen what will bring to more widening of ties in economic,
cultural, tourism and other spheres. The RA President especially
appreciated the attitude which the Cypriot authorities display
towards the Armenian community. "The circumstance that the Cypriot
Armenian community is represented at the Parliament of Cyprus, there
are schools which are financed by the state, is simply appreciable,
and I think that it also gives important warmth to our bilateral
relations," R.Kocharian said.