German Chancellor to visit Cyprus

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is paying a short visit to Cyprus on Tuesday, during which she will meet President of the Republic Demetris Christofias and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in Cyprus, Lisa Buttenheim.

Merkel is expected to arrive at the Presidential Palace at 12.50 pm for a private meeting with President Christofias.

The German Chancellor will sign the guestbook of the Presidential Palace and at 13.30 Christofias and Merkel will make statements to the press.

A working lunch will follow at the Presidential Palace, while at 15.20, Merkel will visit the Ghoethe Centre, in Nicosia.

A meeting with the Special Representative of UN Secretary General in Cyprus Lisa Buttenheim will follow at 1600 at the Ledra Palace hotel, located in the UN-controlled buffer zone which separates the northern Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus from the southern government controlled part of the country.

Later on the German Chancellor will meet the President of the main opposition party, the Democratic Rally, Nikos Anastasiades.

Angela Merkel is expected to complete her visit and depart for Larnaka International Airport at 4.40.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied its northern third. UN-led peace talks are currently underway between President Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglou, in an effort to find a negotiated settlement that will unite the country under a federal roof.