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ShareNicosia: President Pratibha Patil has asked international community to work together to combat the menace of terrorism and sought prompt action against those responsible for causing wanton destruction across the globe.
"We appreciate the strong and unequivocal condemnation by Cyprus of the terrorist attacks on India. It is important that the perpetrators of terrorist acts are punished promptly so that justice and not impunity prevails," Patil said at a Banquet hosted in her honour by Cypriot President Demetris Christofias.
She said India "values' the support of Cyprus, a close and trusted friend, in getting India-specific Nuclear energy waiver at the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
"By expressing support for the permanent membership of India in an expanded UN Security Council as well as for the India specific civil nuclear energy waiver at the Nuclear Suppliers Group, Cyprus has shown a deep understanding of our national aspirations," she said.
Patil, who is on a two-day state visit to the island nation - the first by any Indian head of state in last 20 years, said many opportunities that exist for expanding interaction between two countries should be seized upon. Patil said the governments of both the countries need to encourage business people and institutions to impart greater energy in their mutual interaction.
"Just as the membership of the EU enlarges frontiers of opportunity of Cyprus, the rapid economic growth of India in recent years, even in the adverse global financial conditions, provides profitable opportunities for medium and long-term investments," she said. She wished Christofias every success in transforming his "worthy vision" of a "just solution to the Cyprus problem" into reality.
"We, however, need to imbue our friendship with far more substantive cooperation on economic, scientific and technological fronts. Cyprus can be assured of India's full commitment to deepening and enhancing the bilateral relationship," she said.
Patil said rapid economic growth of India in recent years, even in the adverse global financial conditions, provides profitable opportunities for medium and long-term investments.
