EU commissioner Fito to visit Ankara for Cyprus issue talks

European Commission Commissioner Raffaele Fito is scheduled to visit Ankara to hold high-level discussions with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. This diplomatic mission aims to revitalize stalled negotiations regarding the Cyprus issue, with the European Union seeking to establish a constructive climate for the resumption of formal talks.

Following a telephone conversation between Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Commissioner Fito, a framework for these discussions has been established. The core premise is that progress in EU-Turkey relations is contingent upon resuming Cyprus negotiations from the point where they collapsed at Crans-Montana in 2017. If Turkey agrees to this path, the EU is prepared to move forward on key issues of interest to Ankara, specifically the Customs Union, visa liberalization, and the SAFE mechanism. However, sources note that several EU member states have raised significant objections regarding visa liberalization, while Greece has expressed particular reservations concerning the SAFE agreement.

This initiative marks a critical turning point in regional diplomacy, attempting to link progress in the Cyprus conflict with broader EU-Turkish cooperation. The ongoing mission is intended to gauge Turkey's willingness to engage in the requested process while addressing internal EU concerns.