Cyprus in contact with US over American evacuees

Cyprus Government Spokesman Christodoulos Pashiardis said today that both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Interior are in contact with the US Embassy in Nicosia regarding the issue of US citizens who were brought to the island from Lebanon and remain outside the Embassy in a reaction to not being allowed to fly to the United States.

Pashiardis said the issue was the sole responsibility of the Americans and not the Cypriot government.

To a remark that these people are in a poor state, the Spokesman said this is the responsibility of the US side, adding that their basic needs were being covered by the Red Cross.

Asked what the US intended to do about its citizens, Pashiardis said he could only speak on behalf of the Cypriot government and pointed out that the American side must fulfill its responsibilities.