The signing of Armenian-Cypriot joint declaration on bilateral relations should be welcomed. Nicosia expresses solidarity to the Armenian side and puts the blame for failure of Armenia-Turkey process on Ankara,” head of “Heritage” parliamentary faction Stepan Safaryan told NEWS.am. 

“Armenia and Cyprus should constantly promote cooperation. The two states have both common interests and a common opponent,” Safaryan said. He considered the declaration’s signing of benefit to Armenia. “Cyprus is a small, however, a significant EU member and it can support Armenia’s position within international agencies, particularly EU,” Safaryan stressed.

The parliamentarian noted Armenia should make efforts for further improvement of close relations and signing of similar agreements with other friendly states. “It may enlist friendly states’ support within international agencies. The signing of bilateral documents with such content will create a precedent for adoption of resolutions following the Armenian side’s interests by international agencies,” the MP said.

The Republic of Cyprus expresses its support to the efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the OSCE Minsk Group process and stresses that the conflict should be resolved by peaceful means, without resorting to the use of force and through negotiations based on the principles and norms of international law. 

“The Republic of Cyprus expresses its support to the constructive efforts of the Republic of Armenia to resolve Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the OSCE Minsk Group process through negotiations based on the principles of the United Nations Charter and the Helsinki Final act and the elements proposed by the Presidents of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries, which include, inter alia, the determination of the final status of Nagorno-Karabakh through legally binding expression of will,” the declaration reads.

In terms of Armenia-Turkey relations, the declarations reads: “The Republic of Cyprus hails the efforts, especially of Armenia, to initiate and proceed with the process for the normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey, but regrets that the ratification of the two protocols on the establishment of diplomatic relations and the development of relations between Armenia and Turkey signed in 2009, has come to a halt because of Turkish preconditions.”