The Russian Federation believes that an international conference on the Cyprus problem must deal with the external issues and not with the domestic issues of the state, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Vladimir Titov said on Friday after being received by Cyprus President Demetris Christofias.

Titov said that he had very fruitful and open discussions with President Christofias on issues regarding bilateral cooperation and some regional and international issues as well. “My visit is a kind of a follow up of those decisions which were taken during the state visit of our President to Cyprus last year“, he noted.

To remark that some members of the international community, including Turkey want to change the negotiating process and have an international conference for the Cyprus problem and asked about the Russian question on this issue, Titov said “the position of the Russian Federation is that any international conference must deal with the external issues and not with the domestic issues of a certain state.“

Asked if he discussed with Christofias the issue of oil explorations in the Mediterranean sea, Titov said they just discussed it “in a way that we have some plans as far energy cooperation is concerned. But it wasnt discussed in some further details,“ he added.