30/08/2022 09:36
Cyprus Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides will have bilateral meetings with the Foreign Ministers of Estonia and Ukraine on the margins of his participation in the informal meeting of the European Union’s Foreign Ministers, which will be taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday in Prague.
One of the main issues expected to be on the agenda is the proposal by Estonia and other Baltic and eastern European countries for a total ban of issuing tourist visas for Russian citizens in all member states of the EU.
Cyprus, as well as Greece, have rejected this proposal, while Germany, as well as High Representative, Josep Borrell, on behalf of the Commission, have also disagreed.
The informal meeting (known as Gymnich) of the members of the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council is being held in Prague, under the ongoing Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU.
The informal meeting is not expected to produce results regarding the Russian tourist visa proposal. However, international media have reported on the possibility of a proposal to suspend the visa facilitation agreement with Russia, which wouldn’t result in an outright ban but would slow down applications.
According to a press release issued by the Cypriot Foreign Ministry, Kasoulides will have separate meetings on the margins of the informal summit with Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
The meeting begins on Tuesday with a discussion on EU - Africa relations and with a dinner at the Czech Foreign Ministry.
On Wednesday morning the Foreign Ministers will focus on developments regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and will then participate in a lunch organised by the Czech Presidency along with the Foreign Ministers of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia.