10 March 2009
Visit to Australia by Republic of Cyprus Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus, His Excellency Mr Markos Kyprianou, will visit Canberra today, Tuesday 10 March 9 and Wednesday 11 March.
Mr Kyprianou and I will hold formal bilateral discussions in Canberra today, Tuesday 10 March. Mr Kyprianou will also meet with the Australia Cyprus Parliamentary Friendship Group.
This is the first visit to Australia by a Cypriot Foreign Minister since 2002, and follows on from my visit to Cyprus in October 2008.
Mr Kyprianou's visit is an important opportunity to deepen the longstanding and close relationship between Australia and Cyprus.
Our relationship is underpinned by strong people-to-people links. The Cypriot community in Australia numbers around 50,000 and makes an important contribution to Australian society.
Some of the Cypriot community in Australia resides in Victoria, recently devastated by bushfires. I thank Mr Kyprianou and the Government of Cyprus for their heartfelt expressions of condolences to Australia at the destruction caused by the bushfires and loss of life.
Australia is a long-standing supporter of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus and has a deep commitment to a just and lasting settlement of the Cyprus problem.
Since 1964, Australian police officers have served continually as part of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), making a valuable contribution to the maintenance of peace and stability on the island.
There are currently 15 Australian Federal Police officers serving with UNFICYP.
I meet with current and former Australian officers of UNFICYP when I visited Cyprus in October last year.
Australia has maintained a Special Representative for Cyprus since 1998. The present Special Representative, Ambassador to France, David Ritchie, was appointed in July 2008, reflecting the importance Australia attaches to the UN’s renewed efforts to resolve the long running Cyprus dispute.
My predecessor former Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, is the United Nations Special Adviser on Cyprus, also reflecting Australia’s long standing contribution and commitment to a resolution in Cyprus.
Media inquiries: Mr Smith's office 02 6277 7500 - Departmental Media Liaison 02 6261 1555