Cyprus and the Netherlands are two partners that enjoy a multifaceted cooperation of immense potential, President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides said on Tuesday evening at the state banquet in honour of the King and the Queen of the Netherlands, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima, who are paying a state visit to Cyprus for the first time since the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus.
The President said that during their deliberations earlier in the day, they reiterated the “common aspiration for an even closer cooperation between Cyprus and the Netherlands, and our determination to work jointly for a stronger and more prosperous Europe, in accordance with our shared values and principles.”
He also thanked the Royal Couple for the principled position of the Netherlands on the Cyprus problem and to efforts to reunify Cyprus, for the benefit of its people, the wider region, and the whole of Europe.
“Tonight, we celebrate the long-standing friendship between Cyprus and the Netherlands between two peoples that have had contacts since the Middle Ages, between two like-minded members of our common European family, between two partners that enjoy a multifaceted cooperation of immense potential, inter alia in the sectors of economy, education, tourism, defense, and of course people-to-people contacts” he said.
He also said that we celebrate and honour their Majesties themselves, stressing that “through your actions you have both become symbols of hope and inspiration not only for the Dutch people, but worldwide.”
On his part the King of the Netherlands Willem-Alexander said that the invitation for the state visit is confirmation of the close ties that have developed between the two countries.
“But it means more than that alone. It holds a mutual promise for the future. A future in which you continue to support and strengthen each other as friends and equal partners in Europe. In the first half of next year, Cyprus will assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the second time, and we look forward to it. Europe, Southeast and northwest have come together and we will never be parted” he underlined.
He also referred to Cyprus as a safe haven, adding that “in a crisis, we know that we can rely on you to provide an emergency reception and help us repatriate our citizens. It’s impressive how you’ve succeeded over the years in putting this partnership on an increasingly professional footing. The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre at Larnaca, which we visited this afternoon, is a good example.”
Next month, he went on to say, the Netherlands “looks forward to participating in ‘Argonauts’, the annual evacuation exercise that you organised so skilfully. Cyprus proves that a friend in need is a friend indeed.”
The King also referred to the many Cypriots who study in the Netherlands saying that every year we welcome around 700 students from Cyprus.
In addition, he said that Cyprus has for many years been welcoming students from Leiden who are helping with excavation around Paphos and elsewhere.
“The exchange of knowledge and expertise in whichever form is essential to our future. It’s crucial not only to students, but to all of us. We saw a good example of this earlier today when we visited Liopetri, where we met a potato farmer who uses Dutch seed potatoes that thrive in red soil. This is a fine illustration of how we work together on important topics that matter to us both” the King concluded.
Also read: Dutch Royal couple concludes two-day state visit to Cyprus
Source: CNA
