Brussels, 04/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - While the informal Councils of the Cypriot Presidency take place in Nicosia, that of Foreign Affairs - the Gymnich - will take place partly in Paphos, more than an hour away from Nicosia, on 7-8 September. Journalists believe that the EU wants to keep them apart.
Questioned by journalists, the spokesperson to the High Representative to the EU for Foreign Affairs said that the organisation is up to the Presidency. Logistical organisation is taken care of by the Cypriot Presidency after discussion with the High Representative who chooses the subjects for discussion; Michael Mann said, referring the issue back to the Presidency. A member of the Cypriot Presidency commented that Ashton would prefer the ministers to be alone, separate from places that are much frequented, in order to exchange ideas and discuss freely, and therefore she had decided to organise the Council in Paphos. He added that it was a decision of the foreign affairs minister.
It is a decision which seems not to displease Ashton, according to diplomats, who say that the Gymnich is a meeting which does not have much media coverage.
A member of the Presidency, who wishes to remain anonymous, said to EUROPE that Ashton had asked for this meeting to be held in a more remote place than Nicosia, partly not to have journalists close by. The Cypriot Presidency would have tried to find a compromise, planning a final press conference in Nicosia. It has organised a shuttle buss between the press centre in Nicosia and Paphos, where about 50 workstations will be set up in a tent close to the place where the discussions are being held. A televised transmission of press events is also planned.
However, some diplomats are already worried about the weak coverage of national briefings and the final press conference, expecting a face to face between Ashton and the almost exclusively Cypriot journalists with subjects of national importance, such as relations with Turkey. (CG/transl.fl)