Lavrov and Venizelos discuss Cyprus issue

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Russia and Greece, Sergei Lavrov and Evangelos Venizelos respectively, met on Wednesday in Athens and discussed an array of issues, including the Cyprus problem, with Lavrov saying that there were reservations on one hand and optimism on the other.

Lavrov and Venizelos also discussed bilateral issues, as well as international matters, such as the crisis in Syria, the Middle East question, and the Iranian nuclear programme, and expressed their shared interest in regional stability and security.

Venizelos referred to the defence aspect of bilateral cooperation, and Greece`s forthcoming EU presidency, with emphasis on relations between the EU and Russia.

Lavrov noted that the determination of the Greeks to promote EU-Russian relations, especially the abolition of visas for holders of Russian passports.