Spokesman for Cyprus Foreign Ministry, Demetris Demetriou, shared a tweet on Wednesday night announcing that Turkey had accepted Cyprus’ offer to send a rescue team for post-earthquake aid.
Turkey’s answer, which was made known via the European Civil Protection Mechanism, comes after an initial refusal.
“Thank you but we won’t take it,” was Turkey’s first response, according to the Director General of the Cypriot Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kornelios S. Korneliou.
In an interview with Sigma Mesimeri and Kati Show, Korneliou also described the situation of Cypriots who are in Turkey, and specifically mentioned a group of students that seemed to be trapped in their hotel.
“Two Turkish Cypriots are not answering. The crisis management department continues to try and trace the fate of other Cypriots who are in Turkey but we have no other indication,” Korneliou said.
“As far as the volleyball team is concerned, we don’t have any updates yet. The occupying regime exclusively handles the issue of people who have moved to Turkey. There are currently 35 missing persons. Four have been found alive.
“There is the issue of non-recognition and it seems that in matters of natural disasters and human tragedies, the political position often prevails.”
Cyprus, which felt the 7.8-magnitude quake, immediately expressed readiness to contribute, assisting the work of Greece’s rescue team. The Cyprus Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Monday, expressing its “deep sadness for the numerous victims of the earthquakes.”
Source: knews
