India Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Preneet Kaur in Cyprus for three days

The Cypriot Minister for External Affairs, Ioannis Kasoulides, had a meeting with the India Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Preneet Kaur, yesterday morning, 11/04/2013, within the mandate of the three day visit of the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs to Cyprus. The Cypriot Minister announced that it is time that the very good relationship between the two countries on a political level be also expanded on an economical level.

“India is a rising economy. The new economy model we are trying to establish in Cyprus need to explore also other markets and India is a great opportunity for the Cypriot private sector, for investments, trading, as we have already done with our other friends globally”, announced the Cypriot Minister during the common press conference with Preneet Kaur.

Preneet Kaur announced that India is ready to intensify the financial relationship between India and Cyprus.

“Cyprus is having a difficult financial period. But Cyprus people has overcome difficult situations in the past and I am sure that the government of the Republic of Cyprus and the hard working Cypriot people will also overcome this crisis and will move forward to a prosperous future’ she added.

The Indian Minister had also stressed out that India has supported Cyprus on their struggle for independence and continues to support unity and the territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus.

“We support a peaceful solution of the Cypriot problem, pursuant to the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council, and continue to support the peace talks between the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot communities under the good services of the General Secretary of the UN towards the solution of the Cyprus problem” she noted.
Preneet Kanure also mentioned that she is bringing to the Cypriot people a message of good-will from India, expressing appreciation for Cyprus friendship as well as the support of Cyprus for the permanent entry of India into the UN Security Council.

“India and Cyprus cooperate and support each other in important matters within the mandate of the UN and other international forums’ she noted.

She has expressed her satisfaction for the discussion she had with the Cypriot Minister, describing the discussion as productive. She mentioned that they have discussed in depth the long-term bilateral relationship between their countries and have exchanged views on peripheral and international developments.

The Indian Minister of State expressed her wish for further development of the relationship between the two countries, and the commitment for finding more routes for a bilateral cooperation working for the benefit of the people of the two countries.  She mentioned that the relationship between India and Cyprus has been traditionally very close and friendly and that Pandit Jawaharial Nehru and Archbishop Makarios (the first President of the Republic of Cyprus) have set strong foundations for this relationship.

“Their vision for the India-Cyprus relationship has lasted through time in a variable international environment. We are committed to promote this vision and explore new dimensions in our relationship”

Mrs Kaur stressed out that India and Cyprus work very close in the fight against terrorism and condemn terrorism wherever is present.

Mr Kassoulides expressed from his side his belief that the visit of Mrs Kaur to Cyprus will contribute to the further expansion of the bonds between the two countries and their people. He note that the two countries have a historical relationship, with parallel routes in their struggle for independence and continuous political bonds that started from their founders Pandit Nehru and Archbishop Makarios and which “have developed ever since, politically facing in common many problem all over the world and having cooperation in multilateral forums’.

He has stressed out “the continuous support of India in our efforts in reuniting our country”, also adding that the two countries know what division means and are the consequences, and that division never brings solutions. He mentioned that they have discussed a number of matters in relation to their bilateral relationship, the future and the opportunities of the energy sector for Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as international matters such as Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan and other matters in Southern Asia.