The Cyprus problem, in view of the informal meeting that will take place in Geneva at the end of the month, and Cyprus – UK bilateral relations will be the focus of meetings which the UK Minister for European Neighbourhood and the Americas, Wendy Morton, will have on Wednesday and Thursday, in Cyprus. Among others, Morton will have separate meetings with Cyprus President, Nicos Anastasiades, and Turkish Cypriot leader, Ersin Tatar, and will hold talks with Cyprus Foreign Minister, Nikos Christodoulides.
The Cyprus News Agency (CNA) has learned that according to Morton`s programme of visit, she will arrive to the island on Wednesday morning. After her arrival she will be received at 1200 local time at the Presidential Palace by President Anastasiades and after that she will hold talks, at the Foreign Ministry, with FM Christodoulides. Morton will then attend a lunch with the Democratic Rally party leader, Averof Neofytou. Later on she will meet with the UN Secretary-General`s Special Representative in Cyprus, Elizabeth Spehar, while in the evening she will participate in a dinner with women who have held Republic of Cyprus state positions to discuss about the representation of women in politics and decision-making processes.
On Thursday morning Morton will meet with a delegation of the Association for the Prevention and Handling of Violence in the Family, since the UK has supported the operation of a shelter for women in Cyprus, the “Home for Women”. After that she will have a meeting with the Minister of the Interior, Nicos Nouris, and afterwards she will meet with the Turkish Cypriot leader in the Turkish occupied areas of the island. Following that she will visit the British Bases in Dhekelia and in the evening she will attend a dinner, that will take place in the occupied areas, with representatives of Turkish Cypriot parties.
Morton will depart from Cyprus on Friday morning.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The UN Secretary-General invited all parties involved to attend an informal five-plus-one meeting on the Cyprus issue in Geneva, Switzerland, from 27 to 29 April 2021.