Foreign Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos welcomed the newly-appointed Cyprus FM Ioannis Kasoulidis, who paid yesterday a one-day visit -his first abroad since taking office- to Athens. In joint statements following their meeting, in the course of which Avramopoulos briefed his Cypriot counterpart on the outcome of the recent Greece-Turkey High-Level Cooperation Council, he reaffirmed that cooperation on every level "is a cornerstone of Greece’s policy on the Cyprus issue and a top priority for our government." 

On his part, Kasoulidis said that he discussed with Avramopoulos a strategic roadmap for Cyprus’ foreign policy to be followed in the next two years - a roadmap that will include Cyprus’ efforts to shift the centre of gravity of its foreign policy. As a responsible and trustworthy partner of the European Union, "Cyprus does not want to differ from the other 26 member states, and this is the context of our effort to join the Partnership for Peace," Kasoulidis noted.

He also informed the Greek FM that the newly-elected Republic of Cyprus President Nikos Anastasiades will be visiting Athens on March 11.