Lord Mayor of the City of London concludes visit to Cyprus

The Lord Mayor of the City of London Alterman Ian Luder has described the links between Cyprus and the UK as “strong, positive and constructive”. Speaking at a Gala Dinner hosted by the Cyprus-UK Business Association, he added that he was on the island to “cement existing contacts and to explore the scope for more.”

According to a press release, issued by the British High Commission, the Lord Mayor, who concluded his visit to Cyprus on Wednesday, said that the links between Cyprus and the UK, at every level are strong. “The numbers of Cypriots living in the UK and the number of British people living here illustrate our close ties. These links are positive and constructive, reinforced by our joint membership of the European Union”, he noted.

At economic and commercial level, he added, the UK is Cyprus’ biggest trading partner in goods and services. In the City, Cypriot banks, financial services companies, insurance, banking, shipping and legal firms have strong contacts which have brought prosperity to both countries. “This is a good news story. But we want to do even better,” he said.

During his stay in Cyprus, the Lord Mayor hosted a round table discussion on “Ways to handle the impact of the financial crisis”. This discussion highlighted the City's approach to regulation and reform as an exemplar of best practice in an increasingly challenging business environment.

Finally, the Lord Mayor held a meeting on Wednesday with the President of the Limassol Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the President and Members of the Board of the Cyprus Shipping Chamber. The meeting focused on the opportunities for co-operation between the UK and Cyprus’ extensive maritime industries and services.