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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 08-12-08
CONTENTS
[01] CYPRUS - UK - MoU - RESEARCH
[01] CYPRUS - UK - MoU - RESEARCH
Cyprus and Britain have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in
the fields of scientific research and development. The Memorandum was
signed by Cyprus Minister of Education and Culture Andreas Demetriou
and British High Commissioner to Cyprus Peter Millett.
The Memorandum provides for the establishment of a joint committee
composed of officials from the two countries aiming at identifying
fields of cooperation, cultivating a favourable climate to facilitate
communication between academic institutions and at promoting exchanges
of researchers and the exchange of optimum practices and the
encouragement of joint research projects. The Cyprus Research Promotion
Foundation and the British High Commission will coordinate the
implementation of the Memorandum.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Demetriou described the
memorandum as ``an important development`` regarding research and
development. ``This is a big step which institutionalises the very
close relations between Cyprus and Britain and provides a framework
which will enable these relations to develop further, so that research
in Cyprus moves onto new fields and of course through joint projects we
can achieve attracting even bigger EU funding,`` Demetriou added.
Millett said the Memorandum is based on three factors, namely the MoU
signed last June by Cyprus President Demetris Christofias and British
PM Gordon Brown, the close ties between Cyprus and Britain in the field
of education and the fact that Cyprus and Britain are EU members.
``Therefore, what we did today constitutes a mere declaration of our
intentions. We must make this deal to work and to yield clear benefits
in the operation of Universities and research foundation for the sake
of all of us,`` the British diplomat concluded.
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