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Cyprus: President expresses 'great joy' as Russian aircraft carrier visits Cyprus

He said that the presence of foreign warships in Cyprus' ports demonstrates without doubt the ‘stabilizing role’ that Cyprus can play in the region.
PRESIDENT Anastasiades has taken time away from the looming financial crisis to visit the Russian aircraft-carrying missile cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov, docked at the port of Limassol.

He said that the presence of foreign warships in Cyprus' ports demonstrates without doubt the ‘stabilizing role’ that Cyprus can play in the region.

In January, the Russian military were given full use of the main military airbase in Paphos and Limassol port.

The Ministry of Defence in Nicosia said Russian use of the Andreas Papandreou airbase is only for ‘emergency scenarios’ and humanitarian missions, but the move highlighted growing co-operation between Moscow and Nicosia.

During his trip to the aircraft carrier Anastasiades said that “you’re welcomed here because you are our friends but also because with your mission to neutralize chemical weapons you secure peace”.

Anastasiades said that he felt ‘great joy’ because Cyprus is hosting within its territorial waters one of the important vessels of war and peace of the Russian Federation.

He also expressed his satisfaction over the visit which “urges us to discuss what we seek, namely to deepening and strengthening traditional historical relations always maintained between the Republic and the former Soviet Union and now the Russian Federation”.

In another question he answered that Cyprus and Russia are expected to agree both on defence and other fields while preparations are underway for a meeting of the Cyprus President with the President of the Russian Federation in the near future.

There has been a fluid series of communications between the Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu and Cyprus Defence Minister Fotis Photiou over the past ten months on Defence related issues.

With the situation in Syria remaining fragile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously described the Mediterranean as a “strategic region” in which Russia has its own interests. Last year he announced the restoration of a permanent presence for the Russian fleet in the region.  

— Copyright © Famagusta Gazette 2013

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