Press Releases

The President of the Republic, Mr Nicos Anastasiades, received on Tuesday, 6 March, 2018, during a formal ceremony at the Presidential Palace, the credentials of the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Cyprus, Mr Fadey Charchoghlyan.

Presenting his credentials, Ambassador Charchoghlyan said:

“Excellency,

It is great honour for me to present to you the Letter of Credence by which President Serzh Sargsyan has appointed me as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Cyprus, as well as Letter of Recall of my predecessor, Mr Gagik Ghalatchian.

I am both proud and rewarded to be able to convey to Your Excellency and to the Government and the people of the Republic of Cyprus, the warmest greetings and best wishes from the President of Armenia and from the friendly people of Armenia.

Excellency,

The Cypriot and Armenian peoples have been tied with bonds of friendship for long centuries now, while also sharing common historical path.

In the aftermath of the Armenian Genocide, many Armenians, having lost their historic motherland, found refuge and second home in Cyprus. In 2015 Armenia and the entire nation and the progressive humankind commemorated the 100^th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. At the Armenian Genocide commemoration day, on April 24 the high level delegation of Cyprus headed by Your Excellency was in Yerevan, standing next to us as true friends.

Our peoples, overcoming tribulations and adversities in the past, succeeded in creating strong and solid foundation to promote our mutually beneficial cooperation anchored on trust and respect, aiming at giving a new impetus to our bilateral relations through new initiatives and innovative approaches.

Since Armenia regained its state sovereignty in 1991, it has always felt strong support by the Republic of Cyprus both in bilateral and in multilateral arenas where we have enjoyed a most fruitful cooperation.

We attach utmost importance to fostering bilateral trade and investment, establishing closer contacts between the business communities of our countries. In this respect, mutual visits, business forums and trade shows can prove to be invaluable instruments to promote more efficient business cooperation.

Mr President,

Our cooperation with the European Union has been elevated to a new level by the recently concluded Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement. It is now important for the ratification of this document to proceed due speed. We are looking forward to the support of friendly Cyprus.

 Excellency,

I believe you are aware that one of the most important issues on the foreign policy agenda of the Republic of Armenia is the problem of Nagorno Karabakh. We trust that negotiations, as the only means to solve problems, have no alternative. With this regard, we value the principled support of the Cypriot authorities to the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship. Although we strongly support the right of people for self-determination, the Armenian state has always supported the position of the Republic of Cyprus regarding the Cyprus problem. We believe that a peaceful resolution of the Cyprus problem is very realistic if the directly involved other parties do not obstruct steps aimed at the constructive solution of the problem. We desire lasting peace and just solutions for the Cyprus and Karabakh problems.

In fact, official standpoints concurring with regard to the stock of regional and international issues, and having established a constructive ongoing political dialogue, we are left with the pleasant yet challenging imperative to still strengthen our bilateral ties in the field of economy, science and hi-tech, military, culture, education, finance, communication, tourism and many others spheres to the benefit and well-being of our states and peoples.

Mr President,

I would like to assure you that I will spare no efforts in the full accomplishment of my duties and mission as an Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the Republic of Cyprus to further the friendship between our peoples and enhance the partnership between our states.”

Receiving the credentials, President Anastasiades said:

“Your Excellency,

It is with great pleasure and distinct honor that I receive today the Letters of Credence appointing you as the new Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the Republic of Cyprus.  On this occasion, Ι wish to assure you that my Government will provide every assistance and support in the performance of your high duties.

Cyprus and Armenia share a firm belief that in an increasingly inter-dependent and inter-connected world, the cherished ideals of peace, freedom, social justice and economic welfare are best attained by fostering mutual understanding, friendship and meaningful cooperation.

Our coordinated efforts in the framework of the United Nations and other international fora are bright examples of the constructive cooperation between our two countries and peoples.  Moreover, our brotherly relations have been strengthened by the presence of a vibrant and active Armenian community on the island, which is harmoniously fully integrated within the Cypriot society.

Allow me to reassure you that Cyprus stands as a firm supporter of Armenia within the EU, and actively pursues the strengthening and deepening of EU-Armenian relations, in all areas of cooperation. 

On the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, we follow with great interest the developments and we acknowledge the sincere efforts of Armenia to bring peace and stability to the region. There is no alternative to the peaceful settlement of the conflict.  We fully support the continuous efforts undertaken to resolve the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, through dialogue and the non-use of force, in the format of the OSCE Minsk Group process.

Your Excellency, 

As I stated following my re-election as President of the Republic of Cyprus, the greatest challenge we face is the division and occupation of Cyprus. It is critical to end the unacceptable status quo in Cyprus caused by the illegal Turkish occupation of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, and to reunify our country.

In this regard, I would like to convey in the clearest terms that we remain strongly committed to negotiate a solution within the parameters that the Secretary-General set, for a viable and comprehensive settlement, fully in line with international and EU law, that reunites Cyprus in a modern, truly independent and sovereign state, free of any third country dependencies that will offer the prospect of prosperity and peaceful co-existence for all its citizens. 

Unfortunately, Turkey’s most recent illegal actions in our maritime zones amount to escalated provocations and to flagrant violation of our sovereign rights to explore and exploit our natural resources, and do not contribute to the creation of the necessary conditions for the resumption of the negotiations.

Furthermore, Turkey’s pretext that it is acting in order to protect the interests of the Turkish Cypriots is completely unfounded, since we have repeatedly and publicly stated that:

- The natural resources of the Republic of Cyprus belong to all Cypriots, Greek and Turkish Cypriots alike, in line with the convergence reached with the Turkish Cypriot side that decisions with regards to the maritime areas will be a federal competence in reunited Cyprus.

- Cyprus’s goal is to fully explore and exploit the hydrocarbon potential in its exclusive economic zone, in the best terms possible, so as to maximize the benefits for all Cypriot citizens, in accordance with the submitted bill to the House of Representatives for the creation of a sovereign fund for the management of any future hydrocarbon resources, safeguarding the interests of current and future generations of all Cypriots. 

To this end, what I have made clear to the UN Secretary-General and the international community, is that if Turkey’s illegal actions cease along with the unacceptable positions and demands put forward by the Turkish Cypriot side, I am ready to immediately engage in a new dialogue as regards the internal aspects of the Cyprus problem, and also to take part in a new Conference on Cyprus, provided that the necessary preparation has taken place and that the five permanent members of the Security Council and the EU will assume an active role.

Taking this opportunity, I would like to reiterate our deep appreciation for the strong support of the Government of the Republic of Armenia to our continuous efforts to reach a just, viable and comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem, in line with the relevant UN Council Resolutions, the EU law, values and principles, and the High – Level Agreements between the leaders of the two communities and the Joint Declaration of February 11, 2014.

We hope that Turkey refrains from actions that take us further apart from the goal of continuing the negotiations, and that both Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side clarify their intentions and revisit their intransigent positions, particularly in the areas of security and guarantees, and as regards demands that are not in line with Cyprus’s capacity as a member-state of the EU, so as to create sound prospects of achieving an overall agreement.

Your Excellency, 

Five years ago, at the time of my first election as President of the Republic of Cyprus, this country was on the verge of financial collapse.  Today, we can proudly - once more - connect Cyprus to growth and potential. Cyprus is currently one of the fastest growing economies of the EU, with a GDP growth rate close to 4%. Most importantly, this growth rate is expected to remain at similar levels for the next coming years.

From my side, I should emphasize the strong commitment of my Government to continue working so that Cyprus remains firmly on a path of sustainable growth. We shall continue to invest in our human capital, supporting higher education and research, and creating a business-friendly economic environment. 

My Government’s plan during the next five years is to continuously improve the country’s business environment so as to reinforce the position of Cyprus as a competitive, innovative, stable and fully transparent destination for business and investment; to maintain sound public finances; to continue the promotion of structural reforms; to preserve a stable and competitive tax regime, and providing incentives for new business and investment. The majority of economic sectors in Cyprus present growth opportunities: energy, tourism, shipping, real estate, education, health, transport, research and innovation.

Despite the economic difficulties that we have faced in the near past, our country’s comparative advantages not only remain intact, but have been further enhanced and expanded, setting them apart from most investment destinations. Cyprus today continues to be a highly competitive center for international businesses, offering a platform for operations and preferential access to markets like Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and Asia.

Your Excellency, 

In welcoming you to Cyprus, I would request you to convey to His Excellency President Serzh Sargsyan, as well as to the friendly people of Armenia, my warmest greetings, along with a message of sincere friendship and solidarity.

I conclude, by assuring you once more of the support of my Government to your noble mission.  I really hope that your tenure will be highly constructive and fruitful and will enable the strong relationship that Cyprus enjoys with Armenia to further flourish.”

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