Armenia fully supports efforts to solve the Cyprus problem on the basis of United Nations’ resolutions, President Serzh Sargsyan said on Tuesday.
The Armenian president headed a delegation on an official visit to Cyprus.
Following a tete-a-tete meeting with his Cypriot counterpart Nicos Anastasiades, three agreements between the two countries were signed.
The first was an intergovernmental agreement for the mutual recognition of diplomas of study, while the other two were cooperation programmes for Education and Sciences, as well as Culture, for the period 2016-2020.
The agreements were signed by Cypriot Education minister Costas Kadis, and Armenian Education minister Levon Mkrtchyan and Culture minister Hasmik Poghosyan.
Speaking after the signing, both Anastasiades and Sargsyan praised the level of bilateral relations between the two countries.
The Armenian president welcomed the support Cyprus has shown his country, evident in the visits by both Anastasiades and House Speaker Yiannakis Omirou, as well as the voting of a resolution by Cypriot parliament for the criminalisation of denying the Armenian genocide.
Sargsyan also thanked the people of Cyprus for reaffirming their support and solidarity to the Armenian people on the centennial anniversary of the Armenian genocide last year.
He added that he appreciates Cyprus’ position on the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh, and noted that his country supports a solution of the Cyprus problem on the basis of UN resolutions.
“I hope there won’t be any obtrusive interfering, and that President Anastasiades’ systematic efforts will yield results soon,” Sargsyan said.
Anastasiades said the two men informed each other on the Cyprus problem and the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute.
“What we are after is a solution that is imbued by the principles of the European Union, fully protecting the human rights of all its residents, Greek Cypriot or Turkish Cypriot,” Anastasiades said.
“What is being sought is not a solution that leaves winners and losers, but one that creates prospects for the future of everyone living in Cyprus.”
Anastasiades pointed out that the brotherly bonds between Cyprus and Armenia are primarily affirmed by the active presence of the Armenian community in Cyprus, which, although harmoniously assimilated into Cypriot culture, continues to honour its own culture, heritage, language and religious identity.
He added that Cyprus is a steadfast supporter of the strengthening of Armenia’s ties with the European Union in every aspect of cooperation.
Anastasiades assured his Armenian counterpart that Cyprus looks forward to further strengthening relations between Cyprus and Armenia, which are “not merely close and sincere, but primarily fraternal”.
Following the speeches, Anastasiades hosted a dinner in honour of the Armenian president.
