Brussels, 28/02/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 28 February, European Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou submitted his resignation to European Commission President José Manuel Barroso. He is leaving the Commission to become the new foreign minister of Cyprus. Kyprianou, in particular, would like to bring progress in discussions on the reunification of the island.
He will step down as soon as commissioner as soon as his successor is nominated by the Cypriot government and appointed by the Council of the EU (in line with Article 215 of the Treaty). Kyprianou is likely to be replaced by Ms Androulla Vassiliou, who was the Cypriot health minister in 1999. She is also the wife of George Vassiliou who was President of Cyprus from 1988 to 1993. Kyprianou is a member of the Democratic Party, Cyprus's third largest party, which gave its support to Communist Demetris Christofias who was elected president on Sunday 24 February. (L.C.)