CYPRUS: Chance encounter sees Anastasiades and Erdogan shake hands

A chance meeting at the United Nations saw Turkey’s strongman Recep Tayyip Erdogan shake hands with Nicos Anastasiades the president of a country Ankara does not recognise and has no formal diplomatic relations with.

The unusual event happened on Tuesday at the UN general assembly in New York while Erdogan was walking past the Cyprus delegation and President Anastasiades stood up to greet him and offered his hand.

The chance meeting lasted only a matter of seconds, but the symbolism offered a grain of hope that animosity can be overcome in the Cyprus problem.

It was a rather awkward yet civil encounter where pleasantries were exchanged as both men were in a place that encourages reconciliation rather than aggression.

Despite the friendly handshake, Cyprus and Turkey have some way to go before they can even be considered to be on speaking terms.

When asked if Erdogan had said anything to Anastasiades, government spokesman Prodromos Prodromou told state radio Wednesday: “No, nothing was said about the Cyprus issue.”

He added: “It was a fleeting encounter. It is positive that there is a good relationship. Besides, this is the general climate in the General Assembly, but nothing could be said about the Cyprus issue within a few seconds.”