Cyprus President to participate in EU informal meeting ahead of G20 summit.

President of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias will be flying to Brussels on Thursday to participate in an informal meeting of heads of state or government of the member states of the EU, which will take the form of a dinner in the Justus Lipsius building of the Council.

The dinner is being held in view of the upcoming G20 summit in Pittsburgh and Prime Minister of the UK Gordon Brown is expected to brief the members of the Council on the latest developments.

In an invitation sent out on September 14 to the heads of state or government, Swedish Prime Minister and President of the European Council Fredrik Reinfeldt notes that, ''since the beginning of the present crisis, the EU has taken a leading role within the G20.''

''Many of the issues to be discussed at the upcoming G20 Summit to be held in Pittsburgh on 24 and 25 September 2009 are of direct interest to the Union and have indeed often occupied us at past meetings of the European Council. For this reason I feel it is important to for us to meet shortly before Pittsburgh in order to prepare the European Union's position,'' he says.

He adds that ''at our dinner, we will obviously be able to discuss all issues which are expected to be intensely debated in Pittsburgh, in particular the signs of economic recovery, the design of future exit strategies, future growth models, the implementation of the finance market reforms including remuneration practices in banks, employment, the strengthening and reform of IFIs, global trade and the assistance to the developing countries and the fight against climate change.''

''I will propose that Gordon Brown, in the UK's capacity as G20 Chair, brief us on latest developments. In the context of the G-20 preparations I will also take this opportunity to ask the President of the European Commission to inform us on the communication on the financing of climate change,'' Reinfeldt says.

The Swedish Prime Minister adds that, ''given the informal nature of our meeting, no conclusions will be adopted.''

''However, I intend to prepare a short text of 'agreed language' to serve as a common basis for the EU in Pittsburgh, as well as to communicate to the media and the wider public the outcome of our discussions,'' he concludes.

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