President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades is in Berlin to attend a working dinner the German Chancellor Angela Merkel is hosting for European leaders, in order to discuss the future of Europe after the British vote to leave the EU.
During dinner, President Anastasiades will also have the opportunity to inform those present over recent developments concerning the efforts for a Cyprus settlement. He will also refer to trilateral cooperation initiatives, Nicosia is putting forward with countries from the region, Government Spokesman Nikos Christodoulides has told CNA.
Apart from the hostess and the President of Cyprus, the leaders of Portugal, Malta, Lithuania and Latvia have also been invited to attend.
According to the Spokesman, who is accompanying the President in the German capital, “the German Chancellor is hosting today`s meeting in the framework of a series of meetings she has with heads of state and government, ahead of the informal European Council summit, on September 16, in Bratislava, that will address the future of Europe after the result of the British referendum”.
He added that discussions will focus on the reasons that led to the decision of the British people to leave the EU and how these may be addressed.
Moreover, Christodoulides noted that European leaders will exchange views on how to improve the functioning of the EU, to make it more efficient, and address EU policies. Of particular interest are policies that relate to financial governance, social cohesion and support for the youth, with leaders also discussing security and terrorism, and of course the migrant crisis, the Spokesman has added.
He went on to say that President Anastasiades will have the opportunity to inform other dinner guests over the latest developments in the ongoing settlement talks aiming at finding a Cyprus solution. In addition, he said that the President of Cyprus will inform the European leaders about initiatives to promote regional cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean, with particular focus on the trilateral cooperation schemes Nicosia is developing with Greece and countries from the region.
Asked if President Anastasiades is expected to make any reference to the Mediterranean EU countries` Summit, that took place last Friday in Athens, Chistodoulides said there was no such intention, he added, however, that the Athens meeting “was under no circumstances an effort to form a group within the EU”.
The working dinner is starting at 19.00 Cyprus time (16.00 GMT) while President Anastasiades and his associates are expected to return to Cyprus later tonight.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. UN-led talks are underway since May 2015, aiming to reunify the island under a federal roof.