A visa waiver agreement which Cyprus and Bahrain signed last month in Manama, during a visit which Cyprus President, Nicos Anastasiades, paid there, for the holders of diplomatic, special and service passports, was approved during the meeting of the Council of Ministers on Friday, the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) has learned.
The agreement provides, among others, that citizens of the Republic of Cyprus who hold diplomatic and service passports will be able to enter without a visa to the Kingdom of Bahrain for a period of 90 days during a period of six months, citizens of the Kingdom of Bahrain who hold diplomatic and special passports will be able to enter without a visa to the Republic of Cyprus for a period of 90 days during a period of six months and that each of the two states maintains the right of refusing entrance or stay on its territory to citizens of the other state who hold these passports for reasons of state security, public order and public health.
The agreement will come into force for five years and will be automatically renewed for consecutive periods of five years, unless one state communicates to the other its will to terminate the agreement.
Anastasiades visited Bahrain in September, accompanied by members of his Cabinet, in the framework of the government’s decision to develop bilateral relations with countries of the Arab Gulf.
During the visit, President Anastasiades had a meeting with the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Khalifa. President Anastasiades and the King attended expanded talks, heading delegations of the two countries. During the visit a Memorandum of Understanding on Economic and Technical Cooperation was also signed.
The government of Cyprus considers the further development of the relations with Bahrain particularly important, since it upgrades Cyprus foreign policy’s multilateral approach.
During the talks Anastasiades briefed the Bahraini delegation about the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean and developments on the Cyprus problem.
Moreover the two delegations discussed about bilateral relations particularly on issues regarding trade, renewable energy sources, agriculture, addressing climate change, tourism, air connectivity between the two countries and relations between the EU and Bahrain.
The two sides also discussed about President Anastasiades’ initiative on climate change that particularly affects the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean region.
Moreover, President Anastasiades extended an invitation to the King of Bahrain to visit Cyprus.
