EU foreign policy chief to hold string of meetings in Cyprus this week

The EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell is set to hold a meetings with top Cyprus government officials including president Nicos Anastasiades on June 25 and 26, the Cyprus News Agency reported Tuesday.

In addition to holding a meeting with Anastasiades, Borrell is also scheduled to meet foreign minister Nikos Christodoulides and minister of defence Savvas Angelides.

Talks are expected to focus on Turkey’s plans and activities in Cyprus’ maritime zones as well as on EU-Turkish relations ahead of the EU foreign affairs council that will convene on July 13.

Borrell will hold a tete-a-tete meeting with Christodoulides, to be followed by extended talks between the delegations of the two sides and statements to the press.

With Angelides, Borrell is set to discuss issues related to Cyprus’ participation in the Permanent Structured Cooperation, which aims to deepen defence cooperation between EU member states, and the island’s role, given its geographical position, in EU operations taking place in the framework of the Union’s strategy on defence and security issues.

Borrell will then fly to Cyprus from Athens where he will hold talks with the Greek government. Ηe will visit the Kastanies crossing on the Greek-Turkish border and hold talks with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Borrell with travel to the northeastern region of Evros with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias to meet with authorities guarding the border and discuss the challenges of a possible fresh push by migrants to cross from Turkey into the European Union.