The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis, will carry out a one-day working visit to Moscow tomorrow, Wednesday July 25, at the invitation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Mr Sergey Lavrov. The visit of Minister Marcoullis is part of the regular political dialogue and the relevant provisions of the Protocol of Political Consultations between the two Ministries.

The consultations between the two Ministers are expected to focus on the situation in Syria and the wider region of Southern Mediterranean and North Africa. The two Ministers will also review the level of bilateral relations between the two countries, with particular emphasis on the degree of implementation of the three-year Action Plan 2010-2013 between the governments of the Republic of Cyprus and the Russian Federation, which sets targets for strengthening the bilateral and multilateral contractual framework of relations. Furthermore, the two Ministers will discuss ways for further deepening and widening the multifaceted spectrum of cooperation between the two countries.

The Cyprus Problem and the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU will also be focal points in the discussions between the two Ministers, as well as developments pertaining to the negotiations for a new agreement between the EU and the Russian Federation, the Visa dialogue and cooperation on foreign policy issues.

Within the context of the visit, a Political Consultations Program for the years 2012-2013 will be signed between the two Foreign Ministries, as a continuation of the existing Political Consultations Program for the years 2010-2011. This program aims to further develop the level of coordination between different Directorates of the two Foreign Ministries.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs will depart from Moscow on July 26, for Sarajevo.