President Christodoulides addressing the College of Europe

The President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, is visiting Bruges, Belgium, where he will address the College of Europe on 20 March.

As Government Spokesperson Constantinos Letymbiotis said 19 March, President Christodoulides will address the College of Europe, following an invitation extended to him by the Society of Cypriot Students of the College of Europe, as part of the national week dedicated to Cyprus. This is the first time that a President of the Republic of Cyprus will be visiting the College.

Immediately after he arrives at the College, the President of the Republic will have a private meeting with the Rector Federica Mogherini, followed by an address to students and academics of the College of Europe and the European Diplomatic Academy, including Cypriots, as Letymbiotis said, while he will also have a meeting with the Vice-President of the European Commission, Margaritis Schinas, before leaving for Brussels.

On 21 March, the President of the Republic will participate in the deliberations of the European People's Party and will then attend a lunch with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and EU Heads of State, mainly on the Middle East, the situation in Ukraine and global challenges.

This will be followed by the Summit proceedings and a working dinner, with the topics to be addressed at the Summit including the Middle East, Ukraine, migration, security, enlargement and the EU's external relations.

On 22 March, the President of the Republic will participate in the 30th-anniversary event of the European Economic Area, together with the leaders of the EU Member States, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, followed by an enlarged Eurozone Summit.

A meeting between UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the President of the Republic is also scheduled for 21 March, CNA has learned.

Guterres arrived in Brussels on the evening of 19 March for contacts with European leaders and officials, Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said during a media briefing at the international organisation's headquarters in New York.

President Christodoulides, who will be accompanied in Bruges and Brussels by the Government Spokesperson, the Director of the President's Press Office, Viktoras Papadopoulos, and officials, will return to Cyprus in the evening of 22 March.

(Source: CNA)