Welcoming Mr Lavrov, President Anastasiades praised Cyprus-Russian relations, noting that the Russian FM’s visit to Nicosia constitutes “a confirmation of our relations which are governed by mutual respect, mutual support and certainly solidarity between the two countries”. He also said the Cyprus Government considers the visit very significant as it takes place during Turkey’s illegal activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, “with threats for the settlement of Famagusta, and generally, a very critical period for international law”.

“Your presence here is a confirmation of your adherence to the longstanding principles, as these are provided in the UN Charter, and for this I would like to thank you personally and the friendly country of Russia in general, for always defending the Republic of Cyprus’ independence and territorial integrity, and also for supporting our efforts for the peaceful resolution of the Cyprus problem”, President Anastasiades added.

On his part, Mr Lavrov made reference to the 60-year anniversary of diplomatic relations between Cyprus and Russia and confirmed Moscow’s commitment to further developing those relations.

With regard to the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Russian Foreign Minister said they stand ready “to contribute to the development of a genuine dialogue towards mutually-acceptable solutions”.