THE GOVERNMENT is disappointed over what it called attempts to downgrade President Demetris Christofias’ recent trip to Moscow.
Christofias came under fire from opposition DISY for acting more like the leader of the communist party AKEL than the President of Cyprus during his Russia trip.
He also slammed NATO, saying that as long as he was President Cyprus would never have any links with NATO, even though political parties on the island favour Cyprus joining the Partnership for Peace (PfP).
But Government Spokesman Stefanos Stefanou said yesterday said NATO was a relic of the past.
“If some people insist that Cyprus should accede to NATO, I would like to note that NATO is an organisation which comes from the past,” the spokesman said.
NATO’s role in various parts of the world, such as the former Yugoslavia, Iraq and Afghanistan, is well known, he added.
Stefanou also chastised those who criticised the President’s ‘soviet-style rhetoric’ during his Moscow visit, saying the development of bilateral and international relations was a must for helping efforts towards a Cyprus.
“I believe the results of the President’s campaign are visible and tangible and as such the government will continue, in this intensive manner, briefing the international community on the Cyprus issue as well as developing international and bilateral ties,” Stefanou said.
The President’s visit to Russia was a success and reaffirmed the friendly ties between the two countries, and any attempts to present it otherwise “do not help at all and are not constructive”.
“Russia is a very important country in the international political arena, a permanent member of the Security Council, it expresses clear positions on Cyprus, positions which support and are based on UN resolutions on Cyprus and international law. Everyone should realise the significance which a country, permanent member of the Security Council has, not only at the UN but also at many international organisations it participates,” he said.
He also said the PfP was not part of the EU acquis.
“We must have a full understanding of our obligations as well as our rights, as an EU member state. EU member states have a certain autonomy in exercising their foreign policy and we bear witness to this relative autonomy,” he said.
