Friday, March 8 2024 00:29

ArmInfo.Armenia and Cyprus have a shared history. Persecution, displacement, victims of aggression; all these we have suffered. Foreign Minister of Cyprus Constantinos Kombos announced on March 7 in Yerevan at a joint press conference with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan

According to him, Armenians and Cypriots continue to face existential  threats. But we are resilient. And our peoples are survivors.

"In this context, today we had the opportunity to have a fruitful and  meaningful exchange of views on a range of issues.  We focused, in  particular, on our bilateral relations, developments in the Caucasus  region, Middle East, Ukraine, and EU - Armenia relations."

At the same time, he noted that in the coming months, Cyprus will  open a resident Embassy in Yerevan.. The diplomat noted that, on the  one hand, this is a symbolic step, and on the other, it will further  strengthen bilateral relations.

" I informed the Minister on the latest developments regarding the  Cyprus Question. We stand ready to resume negotiations to reach a  viable and lasting solution to the Cyprus Question. In this respect,  I wish to thank Armenia for its long-standing principled stance on  the Cyprus Question.," he said.

Speaking about relations between Armenia and the EU, Minister Kombos  emphasized that , Nicosia strongly supports the deepening of  relations with Yerevan and the increase of EU presence through the EU  Mission in Armenia (EUMA).  In this vein, he emphasized that Cyprus  will systematically and tirelessly work to strengthen the EU-Armenia  institutional dialogue., as well as to economic and political  measures  that will bring Yerevan closer to Brussels.

Touching upon the latest developments in the South Caucasus, the head  of the Cypriot Foreign Ministry noted that from the very first  moment, Cyprus has expressed its unequivocal solidarity with the  people of Armenia and has sent humanitarian aid for the needs that  have arisen from the mass, violent, forced exodus of the population  from Nagorno Karabakh.

"Accordingly, I announce the funding, on behalf of the Government of  the Republic of Cyprus, for the construction of 10 greenhouses in the  framework of rehabilitation of refugees from Nagorno Karabakh in  cooperation with NGO "My Step Foundation" and "Armenian National  Agriculture University".", he said.

" Aggression and violation of human rights, displacement and the  instrumentalization of fear as a strategy, cannot be tolerated.

Coercion cannot be an alternative to dialogue and to peaceful  settlement of disputes.  Sovereignty and territorial integrity are to  be respected, in full compliance with public international law and  the UN Charter.

We have an obligation to stand against revisionism and to support  Armenia both politically and materially.  To this end, and in the  preceding context, we have welcomed last December's Joint Statement  by Armenia and Azerbaijan and we support the talks between Yerevan  and Baku towards a lasting, just, and sustainable peace.  This is  also the direction taken by Armenia's "Crossroads of Peace"  connectivity project, which we consider feasible and inclusive."

In conclusion, he assured that Cyprus fully cooperates with Armenian  partners. "Cyprus has been and remains a reliable partner of  Armenia," he concluded.