ODESA, SEPTEMBER 29th, 2012, CONTEXT-PRICHERNOMORIE ― Odesa Mayor Oleksiy Kostusev has held a meeting with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cyprus to Ukraine Evagoras Vrionidis, Context-Prichernomorie correspondent reports.

Odesa City Council Information Office reported today, 29 September.

According to the office, the meeting was held in the framework of the business forum “Ukraine-Cyprus: the New Era of Economic Relations”. President of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry Phidias Pilides, Vice-mayor of Nikosia Nikos Nuris and Cypriot business representatives also participated in the meeting.

During the meeting the parties discussed ways to strengthen and develop economic and cultural relations between Cyprus and Odesa.

“In the framework of the 218th Anniversary of our city, we with Honorary Consul of the Republic of Cyprus to Odesa Mr Muzalev laid the foundation for the Alley of the twin cities of Nicosia and Larnaca. It is not just a diplomatic gesture. It is our real sincere attitude to the twin cities and to all the people of Cyprus”, Mr Kostusev emphasized.

President of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry Phidias Pilides noted their main purpose of the meeting with Odesa Mayor and their visiting Odesa is strengthening cooperation of countries in economic, tourist and investment spheres. The results of the forum’s first day are encouraging. A lot of people participated in the forum. Two business meetings were held after the forum, the results of which will be used in the future.

“We are very much obliged to the mayor of Odesa for this appointment, and for the fact we can discuss further projects. I believe the relationships between Odesa and Cyprus will improve and move on to a new higher level”, he stressed.

“As you know Odesa and Nicosia are Twin Cities since 1996. We have developed good working relationships with Odesa. The participation in this forum shows our future goals. I offered the Odesa mayor to continue and to develop this cooperation and to start a direct dialogue between Nicosia and Odesa municipalities. We have big plans for the development of tourist, cultural and economic relations. For the purpose of it, we invited Oleksiy Kostusev to visit Nicosia with the official visit to discuss further opportunities for joint cooperation”, Mr Nuris added.