Raft of agreements signed with the Ukraine

CYPRUS and Ukraine signed yesterday a series of bilateral agreements and a Memorandum of Understanding, as part of President Demetris Christofias’ official visit to the Ukraine.

President Christofias and his Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yanukovych attended the signing ceremony after holding talks at the Presidential Palace in Kiev.

An official press release said that Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism Antonis Paschalides signed an agreement for financial, scientific, technical and industrial cooperation which aims to encourage business links and implement development programmes.

A Cypriot-Ukrainian Intergovernmental Committee will be established.

Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou and his Ukrainian counterpart Kostyantyn Gryshchenko signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the two Foreign Ministries on EU issues, aiming at developing cooperation between the two ministries on EU issues, through the provision of expertise and know-how to Ukraine on implementing EU policies.

Kyprianou and head of the Security Service of Ukraine Valeriy Khoroshkovsky also signed an agreement of mutual protection of classified information.

Kyprianou and Defence Minister of Ukraine Myklailo Yezhel also signed an agreement on defence, which provides for the exchange of visits for training purposes, cooperation on training and technical issues regarding weapon systems.