The Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Cyprus, based in Athens, Young-jip Ahn has pledged that he will exert heartfelt efforts to further strengthen the ties of friendship and cooperation between our two countries.
Presenting his credentials to President Nicos Anastasiades on Friday, Ambassador Ahn said that both countries are actively engaged in the efforts to peacefully achieve their ultimate goal which is national reunification. He assured that the Republic of Korea will support the efforts to achieve a comprehensive, viable and fair settlement of the Cyprus problem.
“The Republic of Korea attaches great importance to the Cyprus issue and has supported the peace process in such ways as by dispatching Dr. Han Sungjoo, as Special Representative of the UN Secretary General to Cyprus from 1996 to 1997 and Lieutenant General Whang Jin-ha as the Force Commander of the UN Peacekeeping Force from 2002 to 2003”, he added.
In the economic field, he said that he looks forward to further strengthening the cooperation between the two countries in the shipbuilding and shipping industry. In this regard, he pointed out, efforts by the Government of Cyprus to foster a favourable environment for Korean companies which are interested in doing business in the Republic of Cyprus would be deeply appreciated.
“It is indeed encouraging to see that Korea is participating in the project for the development of natural energy resources in the deep sea off the coast of Cyprus”, Ambassador Ahn said.
Receiving the credentials President Anastasiades said that the bilateral relations can be further enhanced by expanding the cooperation in the trade, investment, tourist and maritime fields as well as in the academic field with synergies in health and technology sectors.
He pointed out that already the two countries cooperate in the energy sector with the presence of the Korean company KOGAS in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Cyprus, with excellent and very promising results.
The President pledged that Cyprus will continue offering its support to the Republic of Korea for strengthening further the relations between EU and Seoul.
President Anastasiades referred to the economic crisis underlining that with a restructured and fully recapitalized banking sector – mainly through important international investors – fiscal imbalances permanently addressed, and a program of radical structural reforms, Cyprus has managed to successfully return to international capital markets much earlier than any other program country.
“Our key policy priorities include: macroeconomic and financial stability, the promotion of structural reforms (including, inter alia, the reform of the public service administration, health system, social policy and the promotion of the privatization programme) as well as the promotion of investments”, he said.
On the resumption of the UN-backed peace talks, the President reiterated his sincere willingness and determination to work tirelessly to achieve a settlement based on a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with political equality, as set out in the relevant Security Council Resolutions, the High Level Agreements and the Joint Declaration of February 2014, with a single international legal personality, a single sovereignty and a single citizenship.
“A viable and functional solution in line with European Union acquis, values and principles; a European solution that will safeguard the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Cypriots, ensuring peaceful co-existence and prosperity. It is our sincere hope that Turkey, an occupying force in Cyprus, will demonstrate genuine political will and that it will contribute in a tangible and constructive way to the process”, he said.
Cyprus was divided in 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. UN backed talks resumed last May aiming to reunite the island under a federal roof.
CNA/KCH/MM/2016
ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY