Cyprus-Forum.com

[Sotos]

It has been suggested by some that the gates to the north should close so the bird flu virus will not cross to the south. What do you think about this?

The deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu has been found on the island of Cyprus, but has not yet arrived in the EU, a Brussels official confirmed on Monday.

Tests carried out by an EU lab in the UK over the weekend confirmed that a sample taken from the north of the island – currently occupied by the Turks – was the H5N1 strain.

“The highly pathogenic strain has been found in a sample taken from the area not under effective control of the government of Cyprus,” a spokesman for EU health commissioner Markos Kyprianou said.

But he stressed that there were still no confirmed cases of bird flu within the EU, and that exports of live bird or feathers “over the green line” – into Cyprus itself – was strictly forbidden.

Two EU officials have been sent to the Turkish-controlled part of Cyprus to assist with further control measures, and will report back to EU officials in Brussels by the end of the week.

A second visit, on February 13-17, will assess what further measures need to be taken, if any, the spokesman said.

But the spokesman stressed that the commission was entirely satisfied with the measures put in place by the Turkish government.

He added that the Cypriot authorities in the rest of the island had also taken preventive measures to stop the spread of the virus, including keeping birds indoors.

The spokesman admitted that €8.5 million in EU funding to help Turkey control the outbreak – both on the mainland and on the island of Cyprus – was unlikely to become available until at least March.

The money would be part of the pre-accession funding offered by Brussels to Turkey as a prospective member of the EU, and must be authorised by the enlargement department led by Olli Rehn.

[Agios Amvrosios]

Close the gates and lock'em up The bastard gates should only open to let the refugees go their homes.

WHat does having the gates open achieve. The Ali talat opened the gates on his own terms of "we will keep all the refugee properties and we'll let the turks bludge off the Greek Cypriots as well". C'mon guys what is this crap?

If the Turkish Cypriots want to bludge health care off the Greek Cypriots in the free areas then they should not be allowed to hold onto the refugee properties in the north as well.

The turks have to shit or get off the pot.

[Leonidas]

Close the gates and lock'em up The bastard gates should only open to let the refugees go their homes.

WHat does having the gates open achieve. The Ali talat opened the gates on his own terms of "we will keep all the refugee properties and we'll let the turks bludge off the Greek Cypriots as well". C'mon guys what is this crap?

If the Turkish Cypriots want to bludge health care off the Greek Cypriots in the free areas then they should not be allowed to hold onto the refugee properties in the north as well.

The turks have to shit or get off the pot.

Yeap. Attitudes and comments like that will change things in Cyprus.

[anastasiaC]

Yes pls!!! close them up
because I still want to plan a september visit!!!

if it gets worse there is no way I will risk bringing my kids over
and that will be so sad....

I miss Cyprus

ACx

[Leonidas]

Yes pls!!! close them up
because I still want to plan a september visit!!!

if it gets worse there is no way I will risk bringing my kids over
and that will be so sad....

I miss Cyprus

ACx

How would closing the so called gates will make any difference? Birds do fly. Can you stop them?
Come on. Please be real.

[Piratis]

Turkey had refused to co-operate with RoC on this matter. The TCs and the occupation regime didn't follow the directions of Marcos Kyprianou and now we see the results.

IF the closing of the gates will reduce the risk of the virus spreading in the free areas then it should be done right away. It is sad that some people dismissed this proposal even before discussing it. We knew that they didn't care about our rights, but don't they care about our health either?

This should be taken very seriously. The temporary closing of the gates will have no negative consequences and if its going to be even a bit helpful to contain the virus it should be dome immediately.

Birds do fly. Can you stop them?

Right. The question is why the flew to the occupied Cyprus and not to the free areas or Greece or to Israel etc? Maybe the fact that there are barely any controls between Turkey and the occupied areas has contributed. Maybe the virus is spreading in different ways as well. Why take the risk? To gain what? More GCs to go to the occupied areas as tourist and play in the casinos? There is absolutely no significant reason to take an additional risk against public health.

If closing the gates will make no difference, then fine. We will reopen them after some time and we wouldn't lose anything. But imagine if it does make a difference and we let them open! Imagine the damage! Not only the people that will get sick and die but the damage to our agriculture and tourism as well.

I say close them right now, and if after we study the subject carefully (2-3 days) we decide that there is not an increased danger due to the opening of the gates we can just re-open them.

[Viewpoint]

You are right Piratis, if there is any chance of bird flu speading via the crossing points they should be closed but how do you know your birds dont already have the flu? lots countires in the heart of the EU could also have the virus yet you know how countires tend to cover these things up not to cause the panic you are obviously expressing in this forum. Birds like our Prime Minster said do not have nationality, they fly all over the world and its a matter of time before each country finds birds with the flu and are honest enough to actually declare they are fighting this problem, which believe me the TRNC authorities together with the EU are doing.

[stuff]

''WHO'' mentioned that Turkey is dealing good with bird flu ..and any country closed their gates to turkey or TRNC.. becouse of the bird flu .
Is south cyprus the centre of the world? ??

yes ban the migrant birds to fly to south part of cyprus as well ..dont be ridicoulus ..and admit that cyprus is not the centre of the world...

[VEX8]

FANTASTIC !!!

Sotos posts information concerning the migration of 'possibly' infected birds from the North and the very next post by Agios Amvrosiosis a rabid tirade on the return of refugees to Turkey and the accusation of them Quote; 'bludging' off of the health service in Southern Cyprus.

Please remeber folks; NOT EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE EQUATED TO THE TC GC ISSUE. Take a pill and chill

[stuff]

Maybe the virus is spreading in different ways as well. Why take the risk?

.

virus is not spreading unless u r in close contact with a diseased migrant bird or chicken or any related products . it doesnt spread human to human like ordinary flu .

so dont buy any products from TRNC and you will be fine