Prime Ministers Office 10 Downing Street
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The Prime Minister met the President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, in Nicosia this morning.
As the first UK Prime Minister to undertake bilateral visit to Cyprus in more than 50 years, the Prime Minister began by thanking the President for his kind invitation following their meeting in London in October.
Across clean energy, trade, investment, defence, security and migration, there were vast opportunities to deliver for people in both the UK and Cyprus, the leaders agreed.
They agreed to progress those opportunities through a new strategic partnership, which would be taken forward by ministers at the Bilateral Strategic Dialogue in the UK next week.
Turning to the situation in Syria, the leaders discussed the importance of transforming the hope offered by the end of Assads brutal regime into a long term, political solution for peace.
The Prime Minister also welcomed the joint efforts between the UK and Cyprus to combat Russian aggression and noted the importance of putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position through the winter.
The deployment of DPRK troops to Russia was a further reflection on President Putins chilling disregard for human life, the Prime Minister added.
The Prime Minister updated on his EU reset, and the leaders agreed on the importance of closer ties in such a period of global instability.
On the issue of reunification of Cyprus, the Prime Minister said he was very aware of the UKs important role as a Guarantor Power and wanted to see an enduring end to the dispute.
The Prime Minister thanked the President for his kind hospitality and said he looked