European Commission Executive Vice-President and EU Special Representative for Cyprus Raffaele Fitto is expected to convey a proposal during his contacts in Turkey, later in November, to launch discussions on upgrading the EU-Turkey Customs Union, provided that negotiations on the Cyprus issue resume.
According to information obtained by the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides, following his bilateral meeting on Wednesday morning with the President of the European Commission, on the sidelines of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) Leaders’ Summit in Antalya, held subsequently a second meeting with Ursula von der Leyen.
According to same information, von der Leyen, who had spoken earlier with the UN Secretary-General, informed President Christodoulides that she had briefed António Guterres on Raffaele Fitto’s forthcoming visit to Ankara on 20 November, where he is scheduled to meet Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
She also told him that Fitto would convey during his meetings in Ankara the EU’s readiness to launch discussions on upgrading the Customs Union with Turkey, if and when negotiations on the Cyprus issue resume.
According to the same information, Guterres said that the aim was to resume negotiations before the end of his term in office.
As CNA learns, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had intervened to facilitate Fitto’s visit to Ankara.
President Christodoulides concluded his address to the Leaders’ Summit on Wednesday afternoon and subsequently departed Antalya for Dublin, via Athens, where tomorrow, November 12, and on the following day, November 13, he will participate in the European Political Community (EPC) Summit and the informal meeting of the European Council, respectively.
It was also noted that Raffaele Fitto had asked President Christodoulides for a telephone conversation to discuss about Schengen and Turkey.
In relation to behind-the-scenes developments at the COP31 Leaders’ Summit, it emerges that President Christodoulides held a brief meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman, during which the two men exchanged a handshake.
The same information indicates that the EU, following an intervention by its Ambassador to Turkey, Aivo Orav, prevented COP31 organisers from proceeding with the use of the designation “South Cyprus” on the signage for the Cypriot delegation.
In this regard, it is reported that President Christodoulides and President von der Leyen had agreed that, should Tufan Erhürman also attend the Summit’s family photo, they would both leave. This ultimately did not happen. However, Erhürman attended the COP31 opening event as a guest of the host country.
Source: CNA
Also read: Guterres seeks to restart Cyprus talks before leaving office
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