✔️ NICOSIA, August 16. /TASS/. All Cypriot leaders since the island nation's founding have made it their goal to strengthen relations with the USSR and Russia and have contributed to this process. This was stated by former counsellor of the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Moscow, lawyer, journalist, and translator Sophoclis Sophocli in an interview with a TASS correspondent in connection with the upcoming 66th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Moscow and Nicosia.
"August 16 marks the 66th anniversary of the declaration of independence of the Republic of Cyprus, and just two days later, on August 18, we will celebrate the 66th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries – the then Soviet Union and the young Republic of Cyprus. Since the establishment of bilateral contacts on the diplomatic stage, relations between our countries have been developing steadily, simultaneously strengthening in a wide range of areas: numerous bilateral agreements were signed, covering virtually every possible area of cooperation. And all Cypriot presidents, regardless of their political views, held the absolutely correct position that the island simply needed to have good, developed relations with the Soviet Union and Russia, and they made their personal contribution to strengthening them," Sophocli stated.
The TASS interlocutor personally attended meetings between many Cypriot and Russian heads of state over the years, including serving as an interpreter during face-to-face meetings between the leaders of the two countries. "I personally knew and interacted with all the presidents of Cyprus, except for the very first one, Archbishop Makarios III (1913-1977), as there was too great an age difference between us. However, I witnessed his visit to Moscow in June 1971. This was an official visit by the secular and spiritual leader of Cyprus to the Soviet Union, during which, in addition to meetings with Russian leaders and trips around the country, he also participated in the enthronement ceremony of Patriarch Pimen of Moscow and All Rus' (1910-1990)," Sophoclis reported.
How diplomatic relations were established
Sophoclis also shared with TASS a number of details about the establishment of diplomatic relations between Moscow and Nicosia. "At midnight on August 16, 1960 – the day Cyprus declared its independence – a telegram was prepared in French, the then-dominant language of international diplomacy, and sent by the first President, Archbishop Makarios, to the capitals of the world's leading countries, including, naturally, Moscow. This telegram stated that a new, young state, the Republic of Cyprus, had emerged, ready to establish diplomatic relations and, in general, strengthen ties with various countries. The Soviet Union immediately responded positively to the telegram from the island nation's first head, which resulted in the official establishment of diplomatic relations between Nicosia and Moscow on August 18, two days after Cyprus declared its independence," the Cypriot lawyer explained.
Continue reading in Part 2
"August 16 marks the 66th anniversary of the declaration of independence of the Republic of Cyprus, and just two days later, on August 18, we will celebrate the 66th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries – the then Soviet Union and the young Republic of Cyprus. Since the establishment of bilateral contacts on the diplomatic stage, relations between our countries have been developing steadily, simultaneously strengthening in a wide range of areas: numerous bilateral agreements were signed, covering virtually every possible area of cooperation. And all Cypriot presidents, regardless of their political views, held the absolutely correct position that the island simply needed to have good, developed relations with the Soviet Union and Russia, and they made their personal contribution to strengthening them," Sophocli stated.
The TASS interlocutor personally attended meetings between many Cypriot and Russian heads of state over the years, including serving as an interpreter during face-to-face meetings between the leaders of the two countries. "I personally knew and interacted with all the presidents of Cyprus, except for the very first one, Archbishop Makarios III (1913-1977), as there was too great an age difference between us. However, I witnessed his visit to Moscow in June 1971. This was an official visit by the secular and spiritual leader of Cyprus to the Soviet Union, during which, in addition to meetings with Russian leaders and trips around the country, he also participated in the enthronement ceremony of Patriarch Pimen of Moscow and All Rus' (1910-1990)," Sophoclis reported.
How diplomatic relations were established
Sophoclis also shared with TASS a number of details about the establishment of diplomatic relations between Moscow and Nicosia. "At midnight on August 16, 1960 – the day Cyprus declared its independence – a telegram was prepared in French, the then-dominant language of international diplomacy, and sent by the first President, Archbishop Makarios, to the capitals of the world's leading countries, including, naturally, Moscow. This telegram stated that a new, young state, the Republic of Cyprus, had emerged, ready to establish diplomatic relations and, in general, strengthen ties with various countries. The Soviet Union immediately responded positively to the telegram from the island nation's first head, which resulted in the official establishment of diplomatic relations between Nicosia and Moscow on August 18, two days after Cyprus declared its independence," the Cypriot lawyer explained.
Continue reading in Part 2