Nicosia, Cyprus. European Commission executive vice president Raffaele Fitto will visit Cyprus on Thursday for the first time since his appointment as the European Union’s special representative for the Cyprus problem.
He is scheduled to meet President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman before leaving the island on Friday, according to information obtained by the Cyprus News Agency.
Support for UN-led process
The visit follows UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ visit to Cyprus and is part of European Union efforts to support the UN-led settlement process.
A European Commission spokesperson told CNA that the visit reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to contributing to a solution to the Cyprus problem and supporting ongoing UN efforts, as well as Guterres’ personal commitment to the objective.
Coordination with UN envoy
The Commission said Fitto’s visit falls within his mandate to contribute to efforts aimed at reaching a settlement under UN auspices.
According to the Commission, he will carry out his role in close cooperation and coordination with the UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy for Cyprus, Maria Angela Holguin.
Fitto was appointed EU special representative for the Cyprus issue while serving as European Commission executive vice president responsible for cohesion and reforms.
The EU has repeatedly voiced support for a comprehensive settlement within the United Nations framework and said it is ready to contribute to the process within the limits of its competencies.
