The statements of Israel’s Transport Minister do not concern the transfer of citizens of Israel to Cyprus, but the transfer of citizens of Israel to their country, Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Monday.
Asked to comment after the end of a Council of Ministers meeting at the Presidential Palace, on statements by Israel’s Ministry of Transport about using ships from Cyprus to help Israelis stranded abroad, Letymbiotis said that these statements concerned the use of ships by the Israeli Transport Ministry to help Israeli citizens abroad return to Israel.
He added that in any case, this concerns the chartering of vessels from the State of Israel and not from the Republic of Cyprus. He noted that this cannot be linked with Cyprus’ ‘Estia’ plan, which, he said, concerns evacuations of citizens from dangerous zones.
He further explained that the statements of the Minister of Transport of Israel do not concern the transport of Israeli citizens to Cyprus. ‘They concern the transportation of I
sraeli nationals to Israel on its own ships. I understand it is not in consultation with the Republic of Cyprus’, the Spokesperson said.
He said that the Government was are focused on preparing for the possible activation of the ‘Estia’ plan, adding that Cyprus has already accepted requests and that, ‘if and when the need arises, the ‘Estia’ plan will be activated’.
‘We are monitoring the situation’, he said, expressing hope that there will be no further escalation of the crisis in the region.
Asked if the developments in the region affect the maritime corridor from Cyprus for the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, the Spokesperson said that the Amalthea plan would continue as long as conditions allow. Safety is a key issue which is taken very seriously, he noted.
Source : Cyprus News Agency