NEW DELHI: Along “one of India’s closest and most dependable friends in Europe” Cyprus, India on Friday exhorted the world community to take decisive action against countries, which provide shelter to terrorists.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi following meeting with Cyprus President extended his support to the sovereignty of Cyprus, the island country that has been partitioned in 1974 following a coup attempt supported by Greece and an ensuing Turkish invasion. The country has longest-serving UN Peace Keeping mission.
“Given its location, Cyprus appreciates the threat that terrorism poses to the global peace and stability. India itself has been battling cross border terrorism for decades. We agreed that there is an urgent need for all countries to decisively act against those states who generate, support, shelter and sustain these factories of violence in our regions,” Prime Minister Modi said at the Hyderabad House.
Towards the end of countering terrorism both the countries concurred on the need for creating a comprehensive global legal framework, particularly through “early conclusion” of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism that will give a globally recognized definition to ‘terrorism’ and has been pending in the UN since 1996.
Cyprus also lent its support for India’s candidature for a permanent seat in an expanded UN Security Council. “Both (India and Cyprus) of us believe that a reformed Security Council, reflective of the world as it is, and not as it was, is necessary to address the range of complex challenges facing the world today,” PM Modi added.
Cyprus is the 8th largest investor in India and has recorded one of the highest growth rates in the Euro Zone in 2016. Both the countries signed four agreements on Culture Education and Scientific Cooperation, Cooperation in the field of Agriculture, Merchant Shipping Agreement and Air Services Agreement.