Delegation of the Committee on Foreign Affairs headed by Oleh Bilorus, Chairman of the Committee, made an Official Visit to the Republic of Cyprus
13 December 2010, 16:59
The visit took place on December 7-11, 2010 at the
invitation of Marios Garoyian, President of the House of Representatives of the
Republic of Cyprus and Averof Neofytou, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign
Affairs. The members of the delegation held several meetings that exceeded the
level of visits of the parliamentary committee. Besides, it was the first
exchange on the level of the parliamentary committees on foreign affairs in the
history of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
The delegation members met Dimitris Christofias, the President of the Republic of Cyprus, who emphasised that despite present economic, political and scientific-research relations between Ukraine and the Republic of Cyprus, their potential was not used to full extent. The President of the Republic of Cyprus stated that the European Union could not identify itself with the whole Europe and needed support of new allies, first of all those bordering on the EU. The Head of the Ukrainian delegation informed the President of the Republic of Cyprus on the Ukrainian parliamentary efforts to solve the Cyprus dispute. It was stressed that O. Bilorus as the Deputy Chairman of ISCE Parliamentary Assembly initiated and supported adoption of 3 OSCE PA Resolutions to settle the Cyprus dispute. O. Bilorus highly appreciated the efforts of the President of the Republic of Cyprus to support the European pursuit of Ukraine.
The delegation laid flowers to commemorate the first Cypriot President Archbishop Makarios.
The delegation members met Marios Garoyian, President of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus, who highly appreciated the organization of his visit to Ukraine in November 2010. Moreover, he attached great importance to the parliamentary diplomacy in the development of bilateral relations as a progressive instrument "to allow discussion of the topics prohibited for the executive power bodies, which facilitates settlement of respective issues." O. Bilorus appreciated the efforts of the President of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus to strengthen the inter-parliamentary liaison, as the past year "was marked by a rapid intensification of the parliamentary dialogue."
Delegation of the Committee on Foreign Affairs met the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus Márkos Kyprianoú, who highly appreciated the role of the parliaments that "do not only ratify the international-legal instruments, but also develop the relations between the states." The main issues to be discussed included the drafts of bilateral agreements.
O. Bilorus also called for coordinating the efforts to
update the international-legal basis between two states. As to the alleviation
of visa regime for the citizens of Ukraine, the Head of the Ukrainian
delegation called for opening the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Ukraine.
Delegation members met Averof Neofytou, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Committee members. The Head of the Ukrainian delegation initiative that the Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Committee drafted and implemented the common action plan with the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Parliament of Cyprus that would be positively accepted by the Cypriot Party. The Deputies of the both Parliaments discussed and coordinated their actions in the framework of the international parliamentary organizations on the level of the deputy friendship group. Establishment of the Deputy Group of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on the inter-parliamentary liaison with the Republic of Cyprus strengthened the inter-parliamentary dialogue.
The parliamentary delegation also met P. Loizides, President of Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Christos Rotsas, President of the Cyprus-Ukraine Business Association, its members and other dignitaries of the Republic of Cyprus.