Cyprus-Forum.com

[humanist]

Lots of news on Cyprus this morning. Did I miss something really important?

Cyprus protests Turkey’s flight ban
Published on July 28, 2010



CYPRUS has protested Turkey’s overfly ban on Cypriot airlines to the European Union, the Communications Minister said yesterday.

Hundreds of flights were disrupted on Sunday and Monday because of a work to rule protest by Greek air traffic controllers.

Both the island’s airlines, Cyprus Airways and Eurocypria were badly affected since Greek airspace is the only corridor to Europe it can use because of Turkey’s ban on Cypriot traffic, in force since 1974.

Cyprus Airways nevertheless tried to use Turkish airspace twice on Monday, but authorities in the neighbouring country immediately refused the request.

Communications Minister Erato Kozakou Marcoullis yesterday sent a letter to European Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas, protesting Turkey’s continuous illegal ban.

“Cyprus was the only country, which could not avoid Greek airspace … because it cannot use Turkish airspace that is an alternative route for Europe,” Marcoullis said in the letter. “Turkey’s refusal resulted in both companies incurring significant damages due to cancellations and delays.”

Cyprus Airways said it sustained damages of €500,000 per day.

“I emphatically stressed to Mr. Kallas that the Turkish embargo violates the basic principles of the EU in the transport sector,” Marcoullis said.

The minister said Cyprus will not only settle with letters but it will soon make representations to the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

“This was not done today because special preparation is needed,” she said.

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/cypru ... n/20100728

[runaway]

south cyprus Airways nevertheless tried to use Turkish airspace twice on Monday, but authorities in the neighbouring country immediately refused the request.

Good job indeed. We are not neighbours with fuckin south cyprus by the way. KKTC is our neighbour

[bigOz]

Turkey is not in EU yet! So who gives a shite about what EU regulations dictate to her members! If worse comes to worse Turkish airports and Turkish Airspace is a lot more valuable to European Airlines flying to Middle East and The East rather than than "in the middle of nowhwere" South Cyprus. In fact Ercan Air Traffic control probably gets more requests from aırcraft flying overhead...

[Get Real!]

Turkey is not in EU yet!

And who says she will?

In fact Ercan Air Traffic control probably gets more requests from aırcraft flying overhead...

What Air Traffic control? Everything is bankrupt so they’ve all gone home.

[humanist]

Unfortunately they have not gone home .... they occupy our homes damn them ....

[Acikgoz]

Well, Chapter 14 Transport Policy Frozen 11/12/06.

Why complain, RoC pushed for this chapter to be frozen - remember the stalking horse for France.....

Gonna love to see the EC and MEPs hear the argument objectively.

[Me Ed]

This really exposes Turkeys supreme stupidity when it comes to its foreign policy.

Whilst its Turkeys right to embargo and isolate the RoC from its airspace, Turkey missed a huge trick here.

With its aspirations to join the EU, Turkey is going to have to deal with the RoC sooner or later, and had it allowed aircraft from RoC to temporarily use its airspace, the RoC blocking of certain EU chapters would have been difficult to justify in the eyes of other member states.

Unfortunately the mindset ensures that they constantly shoot themselves in the foot.

[Acikgoz]

When the RoC stopped ships from docking into TRNC as they were fleeing from Lebanon, life and death not dollars and cents - what message you think that left?

It was RoC foreign policy not Turkey foreign policy - quid pro quo on trade win-win offered up - RoC yet to step up.

[Me Ed]

The reality is that the RoC cannot physically do anything to stop any traffic, humanitarian or otherwise entering or exiting the occupied areas and uses legal means to do so.

In contrast Turkey imposes its embargos on the RoC with military threats.

It does not detract from the fact the Turkey made another blunder here and its the TCs (again!) who are left out in the cold.

[humanist]

It does not detract from the fact the Turkey made another blunder here and its the TCs (again!) who are left out in the cold.

mate the TC's just don't get it don't waste your breath