AFR The Danish Prime Minister to meet the President of Cyprus

31.05.02

The President of Cyprus, Mr Glafkos Clerides, will be visiting Denmark from 2 June to 4 June. On Monday 3 June Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen will meet President Clerides and later on the same day, the Prime Minister will host a lunch.

Cyprus is one of the countries that are currently negotiating accession to the EU. On the occasion of the visit, the Prime Minister states:

'It has been my wish to have personal meetings with as many as possible of my colleagues from the EU candidate countries before Denmark takes over the EU Presidency on 1 July this year. I am therefore looking very much forward to meeting President Clerides in order to receive a first-hand account of Cyprus' negotiations on accession to the EU, a topic which will, of course, be at the centre of our discussions on Monday.

The negotiations with Cyprus are progressing well. Today, Cyprus is the country that has concluded the highest number of chapters: 27 of the 31 chapters that form part of the negotiations.

I also look forward to being briefed on the dialogue between President Clerides and the leader of the Turkish-Cypriot community, Mr. Rauf Denktash, on the future of the divided island. It is my hope that these talks, which are conducted with assistance from the UN, will produce substantial progress towards a solution to the problems of the island before the end of June.'

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The Prime Minister's meeting with President Clerides will take from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM at the Prime Minister's Office in the Oak Room (Egetræssalen).

At 11:30 AM there will be a door-step press meeting in front of the Oak Room.

In addition, there will be a photo opportunity when the Prime Minister receives President Clerides at Dronningeporten at 10:25 AM, and immediately before the meeting at 10:30 AM in the Oak Room.

Press cards must be visible.

Further information: Jesper Fersløv Andersen, phone no. (+45) 33 92 22 35.