President Nicos Anastasiades, on an official visit to Ukraine, will meet on Friday with the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.
After the formal welcoming ceremony, at the Presidential Palace in Kiev, President Anastasiades and President Poroshenko will have a private meeting, to be followed by extended talks between delegations of the two countries.
In the framework of the talks, bilateral agreements and protocols of understanding will be signed between Cyprus and Ukraine. More specifically, a Protocol on the Agreement of Avoidance of Double Taxation, a Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation between the State Archives of the two countries, a Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation on Renewable Energy Sources and Energy Performance as well as an Agreement of Cooperation on Higher Education will be signed.
The President will also address a forum organised by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ukraine in cooperation with the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In the afternoon, he will meet with Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk and the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine`s national parliament, Volodymyr Groysman.
The President is accompanied by his spouse, the Minister of Energy, Commerce, Industry and Tourism Yiorgos Lakkotrypis, the Deputy Government Spokesman Victoras Papadopoulos, and other officials.
President: We support positions of principle for the independence and sovereignty of Ukraine
Cyprus supports the positions of principle for the independence and sovereignty of Ukraine and its wish and political will is to have, through diplomatic dialogue, a peaceful solution that will restore human rights, the independence and the sovereignty of Ukraine, President Nicos Anastasiades said on Friday.
Anastasiades, on an official visit to Ukraine, had a private meeting in Kiev with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, who said that “Cyprus has consistently support Ukraine`s course towards European integration” and thanked the Republic of Cyprus for its support to Ukraine`s election as a non permanent member of the UN Security Council.
Following the formal welcome ceremony, the two Presidents had a private meeting and Poroshenko,
speaking through an interpreter, said that “Cyprus has steadily supported Ukraine`s course towards European integration. The agreement for the European integration of Ukraine is very important both for us and the EU and we thank you for your personal contribution to the agreement of this major agreement.”
President Poroshenko thanked the Republic of Cyprus for its support in its bid to become a non permanent member of the UN Security Council. “Your visit today constitutes proof of the two countries desire to further develop their mutually beneficial relations and an indication of your support towards the European course of Ukraine towards its association with Europe,” he added.
He expressed certainty that today “we will have very useful negotiations that will contribute to the further development of our relations.”
On his part, Anastasiades thanked his Ukrainian counterpart for his invitation and “for the opportunity to examine how to further deepen the sound relations and ties which the two countries enjoy for years.” He noted that these relations have not been shaken and through the position of principles of the two governments on issues which both countries face, bonds become stronger and prospects are being created to render these ties more effective to the benefit of their peoples.
The President of Cyprus expressed certainty that “through the agreements that we will sign, and the dialogue which will follow these relations will be further strengthened.”
He assured that “Cyprus` position remains firm as regards Ukraine`s European course. The Agreement of Association with the EU has already been ratified and we are ready to examine and support finally visa liberalisation, in the hope that the Commission`s report will be positive.”
He stressed that “the friendly relations which we have and the deepening of relations with other countries will never evolve to turn against the excellent relations which we maintain,” adding that “we support the positions of principle for the independence and sovereignty of every state and of course of Ukraine, and our wish and political position is that through the political dialogue that has been determined, a peaceful solution will be found that will restore human rights, the independence and the sovereignty of Ukraine.”
After their private meeting, Presidents Anastasiades and Poroshenko and the members of the two countries delegations participated in extended talks.
