The Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), Mr Fathallah Sijilmassi, will begin a two-day working visit to Cyprus tomorrow at the invitation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis.

Following a tête-à-tête meeting between Dr Kozakou-Marcoullis and Mr Sijilmassi, delegations from Cyprus and the UfM will hold talks. Among the issues to be discussed are the Cyprus-UfM relations, the activities and programmes of the UfM, the new Action Plan of the Secretariat of the UfM for 2013, as well as the Cyprus-UfM cooperation in the framework of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU.

After their meeting, Dr Kozakou-Marcoullis and Mr Sijilmassi will hold a joint Press conference, which will be followed by a working lunch hosted by the Foreign Minister in honour of the UfM Secretary General.

In the framework of his visit, Mr Sijilmassi will be received by the President of the Parliament, Mr Yiannakis L. Omirou, and will have separate meetings with the Minister of Interior, Mrs Eleni Mavrou, and with officials of the Planning Bureau. During his stay in Cyprus the Secretary General will visit the Hala Sultan Mosque in Larnaca.

The Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean will depart Cyprus on Saturday, September 15.