Cypriot citizens in Turkey urged to stay indoors (Updated)

Those Greek Cypriots who are in Turkey and have contacted the authorities following the attempted coup on Friday, are all safe the foreign ministry said on Saturday.

All citizens are urged to stay indoors and refrain from wandering around, the ministry said in announcement. It also advised anyone who is planning to visit Turkey to postpone their plans for at least the next few days.

The ministry is also in contact with the group of Greek Cypriot students who are taking part in the gymnasiade in Trabzon. According to the education minister who spoke to CNA, the students will remain in the city and their return will be arranged in cooperation with the Greek authorities.

According to the statement, a very small number of Cypriot citizens are currently in Turkey and they have told the Ministry that arrangements are underway to return home.

A Crisis Management Centre operates at the foreign ministry and officials offer advice and assistance to those who have relatives in Turkey. The ministry is also in close contact with consular authorities of other EU Member States especially Greece as well as the EU Delegation in Turkey.

Officials are also in contact with the Association of Cyprus Travel Agents for further information about organised groups of tourists in Turkey. The airports in Turkey are slowly getting back to full operation.

Since Cyprus has no diplomatic mission in Turkey, Cypriot citizens are asked to contact embassies or consular offices of other EU member states. The ministry thanked the Greek authorities for the assistance provided to Cypriot citizens in Turkey.

More information can be found at the European Commission website:

http://ec.europa.eu/consularprotection/search.action?ms2=ALL&tcNew=TR&tc2=TR&countryAndCity=ALL&rightMenu.submit.label=Find+info

In case of emergency and / or consular emergency Cypriot citizens may contact: +357 99660129, +35797775998 or the Greek Consulate General in Istanbul at:Turnacibaci Sokak 22-Beyoglu 34433, Istanbul-Turkey Tel .: (0090212) 3938290-1-2, 3938294
Fax: (0090 212) 252 1365

 

 

 

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.