Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades announced on Monday evening that together with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci they agreed that they need to increase their cooperation so as to take all necessary measures to provide the maximum possible protection to the Cypriot people from coronavirus.
President Anastasiades was addressing the opening of an art exhibition, at Ledra Palace Hotel, in the Nicosia buffer zone, showcasing Greek Cypriot and Greek works of art and audiovisual material on the Turkish Cypriot community which was exchanged between the two communities.
“It was jointly agreed that we need to increase our cooperation so as to take all necessary measures to provide the maximum possible protection to the Cypriot people, Greek and Turkish Cypriot.”
The two leaders had earlier chaired a meeting of the Bicommunal Technical Committee on Health on the same premises.
“From the outset, I would like to refer to the joint meeting Mustafa and myself held as a result of the growing concern and the dangers related to the spread of the coronavirus,” he said.
During the meeting, President Anastasiades announced, “it was jointly agreed that we need to increase our cooperation so as to take all necessary measures to provide the maximum possible protection to the Cypriot people, Greek and Turkish Cypriot.”
He continued noting that “the moral lesson which derives is that despite the differences that we might have or even divergent views on numerous issues we cannot ignore dangers or events which take no notice of who is the strong or weak one and force us to jointly unite powers and act together.”
“The moral lesson which derives is that despite the differences that we might have or even divergent views on numerous issues we cannot ignore dangers or events which take no notice of who is the strong or weak one and force us to jointly unite powers and act together.”
In the meantime, in a joint statement released by the United Nations in Cyprus, the Committee says it “took note that all necessary precautions have been taken by both sides in accordance with the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO), including screening.”
“The members of the Committee agreed to remain in close contact, exchanging information between the two communities and providing assistance, as deemed necessary,” it reads.
It is further recalled that the Technical Committee on Health has “successfully collaborated on similar health emergencies in the past.”
Following their meeting, the members of the Committee briefed the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akıncı, and the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades, who expressed satisfaction with what they had heard, it concludes.
[…] government he said, took the specific preventative measures to protect both communities, adding that “five crossing points are operating and contact […]