Cyprus, Russia hold annual cultural festival

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5/6 Tass 264 A

LIMASOL, June 5 (Itar-Tass) - The president of Cyprus, Demetris
Christofias, said on Saturday, as he was attending the opening ceremony of
the sixth Cypriot-Russian festival, that relations between Russia and
Cyprus were living through the best period in their development.
The festival is one of the biggest annual events in the cultural life
of Cyprus. Its organizers are the Russian Embassy in Cyprus, Limasol's
mayor's office and the Russian-language newspaper "The Vestnik of Cyprus".
The festival's honorary guests include members of the Cypriot cabinet
of ministers, Russian Ambassador to Cyprus Vyacheslav Shumskiy, diplomats
from various countries and representatives of business circles.
A total of 10,000 people attended the festival. About 400 Cypriot and
Russian artists took part in a concert program that started on Saturday
afternoon. They include an orchestra of the headquarters of the Western
military district based in St. Petersburg and the Reflex group.
"Political, cultural and economic ties between our countries are
thriving on a fertile soil of half-century-old relations, mutual
cooperation and solidarity," Christofias went on to say.
"President Dmitry Medvedev's historical visit to Cyprus last October
was a vital event that marked the 50th anniversary of establishment of
diplomatic relations between our countries. It was a historical landmark
and demonstrated our political will at the highest level to further
deepening and developing fraternal friendship and cooperation between out
peoples," the president of Cyprus said.
"I would like to repeat from this rostrum that we are very grateful to
the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation for many years of support of
the Cyprus people and its struggle," Christofias.
Former Russian Ambassador to Cyprus Georgy Muradov read a message of
greetings of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to participants in the
festival.

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