Akıncı: “Taboos should be broken”

With the on-going forest fires in South Cyprus, and to prevent further environmental disaster and more casualties, President Mustafa Akıncı has said, “In such a situation, stereotyped views of politics and diplomacy cannot be our guide. The only guide can be values of humanity and wisdom.”

In his written statement President Akıncı summarized the process and the latest developments regarding the forest fire in Trodos.

“I conveyed that we are ready to cooperate, first to Mr. Anastasiades’ team through my advisors on Saturday, and then I personally called the Greek Cypriot leader and reiterated my offer, telling him that we could send our fire engines and firefighters to help put out the fire.  When he asked me where the Turkish helicopters would land and stated that he would not be able to accept their landing at the Ercan Airport, I told him that it would be meaningless to persist in Larnaca. I said that it is not necessary for them to land in Ercan either and that they can land in Pınarbaşı or Güzelyurt. I also added that the most appropriate and closest place to take water from the sea for this fire is Güzelyurt Bay and I said that, if they wish to do so, I could make it possible for the other aircrafts to take water from Güzelyurt Bay as well. From my point of view, in the face of such a great disaster, there is no meaning in where the aircrafts will land, from where they will depart, how it will be coordinated and what this would politically mean. In such a situation, our guide cannot be politics or the well-established rules of diplomacy. Our guide can only be wisdom and the values of humanity. As I have repeatedly stated what needs to be done is to help putting out this fire in the most rapid and effective manner and I don’t have any political reservations about this.  Everyone who values nature, the environment and humanity should think and act in accordance with this framework.”