New British High Commissioner Irfan Siddiq on Wednesday said he looked forward to strengthening ties with the island as he presented his credentials to President Nicos Anastasiades at the presidential palace in Nicosia.

During the ceremony, Anastasiades expressed the readiness of the government and himself personally to closely cooperate with the aim of further deepening the bilateral relations between Cyprus and the United Kingdom in all sectors.

Siddiq said he too looks forward to the strengthening of bilateral relations.

During President Anastasiades’ term, he added, the relations between the two countries had improved, characterising them as relations between partners.

Siddiq added that the British government will continue to support the achievement of a just, democratic and permanent solution to the Cyprus problem, stressing that a reunified Cyprus can achieve even greater accomplishments as a country.

The two men had met on Monday when Anastasiades went to sign the book of condolences for the Queen.

Siddiq said the death of the queen was “a huge loss for the people of the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and for many others around the world.

“An important part of our UK-Cyprus partnership is through the Commonwealth; that group of nations to whom Her Majesty so loyally and dutifully served for over 70 years,” Siddiq added.

Anastasiades will attend the queen’s funeral in London on Monday September 19.

On Sunday, a service of commemoration and thanksgiving for Queen Elizabeth II will be held at St Paul’s Anglican Cathedral in Nicosia at 5pm.