PRESIDENT Demetris Christofias was in Bratislava yesterday to meet with his counterpart, Slovakian President Ivan Gasparovic, and sign an agreement on mutual protection of classified information.
Accompanying him on the three day visit, which concludes today, are Minister of Foreign Affairs Marcos Kyprianou, the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Antonis Paschalides, Government Spokesman Stefanos Stefanou, government officials, and his wife Elsie.
After signing the agreement, the leaders held a joint press conference, at which Christofias spoke of his forthcoming visit to New York to meet UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu on November 18.
He said: “I’m going to New York with an open mind, good will, but always grounded and defending my principles. I go there with the belief that we will not be surprised with a repetition of views about arbitration or mediation.”
“We had a bitter experience in 2004,” he said referring to UN arbitration, which led to the referendum on the failed Annan plan.
Gasparovic expressed his support for Cyprus, saying that his country supported and would continue to support the solution of the Cyprus problem based on principle, and that he favoured a bi-zonal federation with one international personality that offers equal political rights for residents of both communities.
After the press conference the leaders attended a Cyprus–Slovakia business forum, where Christofias said the Cypriot economy was on a course for recovery and continued to offer a “remarkable and reliable” financial centre in the region. He said: “The Cypriot economy, despite the crisis, has demonstrated dynamism and endurance and is on a course of recovery.”
Referring to the ongoing business cooperation and development of bilateral networks between the two countries, he said: “We want to continue working together in this direction: to overcome any possible obstacles for investments and identify the benefits and services offered by the two countries.”
During his visit Christofias also met Slovak Prime Minister Iveta Radicova and President of the Slovak Parliament Richard Sulik. After the President addressed Business Forum he inaugurated the Cyprus embassy in Bratislava and attended an official dinner given in his honour by the Slovak President.
The Cypriot delegation is due to return today
