The intensification of violations by Turkish military aircraft and drones in the Nicosia FIR and in the national airspace of the Republic of Cyprus and the fact that in June 2022 Turkey illegally designated the Tympos airport as an internal airport, highlights Turkey's aggressive and illegal behaviour towards the Republic of Cyprus, an EU member state, Transport, Communications and Works Minister Yiannis Karousosos said in a speech on Tuesday afternoon at a conference of the Mediterranean Flight Safety Foundation (FSF - MED) in Nicosia.
At the same time, Karousosos assured that Cyprus' air connectivity is a top priority, and stressed that with the liberalisation of the ground services market at airports and the implementation of new incentives worth €165 million for the period 2023 2027, we expect passenger traffic to increase by 52% by 2027 (from 9.1 million to 13.7 million).
In a speech, former Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Raymond Benjamin expressed the need for international and European institutions to make renewed efforts to find a solution to the lack of communication between the Ankara and Nicosia Control Centres due to the fact that Turkey does not recognise the Republic of Cyprus.
Specifically, in his speech, which was read by Deputy Director General of the Ministry Yannis Nicolaides, Mr. Karousos said that since 1974 until today, Turkey has been violating all International Agreements and its obligations arising from them, to which the Republic of Cyprus is a party (e.g. Air Transit Agreement), by prohibiting flights over Turkish territory by carriers licensed in the Republic of Cyprus, resulting in the forced rerouting of much longer distance flights, especially to northern destinations and therefore leading to higher operating costs for Cypriot carriers compared to their competitors.
"Cypriot air carriers, like other air carriers established in any other Member State, have the right to non-discriminatory access to air routes in accordance with the principle of 'EU designation' , as defined by EU law," he underlined.
Furthermore, he said that Turkey refuses to implement the provisions of the Chicago Convention of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO Chicago Convention), to which Turkey is a party, in particular Annex 11.
The Transport Minister assured that the Ministry is promoting various policies that will help "build a strong foundation in the air transport sector".
"We recognise that we need to continue to improve our services and design an alternative tourism product that stands out among others," he said, noting that "we are working to ensure an attractive environment for airlines to include Cyprus in their schedule and increase Cyprus' air connectivity," but also "to ensure maximum safety."
Despite the economic restrictions introduced at EU level on the cost of air navigation services, according to Karousosos, "the Ministry of Transport has been involved in an investment programme that includes, among other things, the move to a new ACC building housing a new ATM system, the deployment of radar to serve Larnaca Airport and the comprehensive upgrade of the airport's navigation equipment.
Planning for the future, he continued, the Ministry is working with Eurocontrol and the staff unions to bring about the best possible arrangement for the management of the Air Navigation Services to operate in a more flexible framework.
Air transport and the economy
The Transport Minister stressed that the Cypriot economy is heavily dependent on air transport, with aviation and tourism contributing more than 20% of Cyprus' GDP.
Karousos assured that "air connectivity, both at national and European level, is a top priority" and in this context, he said, the Ministry has successfully undertaken the initiative, at EU level, for the Declaration on Air Connectivity.
"We aim to improve the connectivity of Cyprus by creating an attractive environment for airlines that will support them in their decisions to expand their flight schedules especially with new routes and within the winter season," he underlined.
Despite the loss of flights from Russia and Ukraine, according to Mr. Karousos, with coordinated actions together with the Ministry of Tourism and Hermes airport, we managed to fly around 9.1 million passengers from Cyprus' airports in 2022.
International institutions to find a solution to the non-communication between Ankara and Nicosia Control Centres, stresses former ICAO Secretary General
Moreover, in a speech, former Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Raymond Benjamin stressed that international and European institutions, as well as the states concerned, should make new efforts to find a solution to the fact that "there is no communication between the Ankara and Nicosia Control Centres" due to the fact that Turkey does not recognise the Republic of Cyprus.
"The situation cannot continue, nor do I believe that political considerations should be above the safety of millions of human lives," Benjamin said in a speech on "The international legal and institutional framework in aviation, the case of Cyprus".
Specifically, in his speech, the former ICAO Secretary General said that the Cyprus Civil Aviation Authority cooperates on a daily basis with its counterparts in Greece, Israel, Lebanon, Syria and Egypt, noting that Cyprus participates as a member in ICAO, EUROCONTROL, ECAC, EASA and the European Commission, "thus contributing to decisions affecting global aviation".
"Currently, ICAO has 193 member states, including of course Cyprus. Participation in ICAO is not possible for entities that are not sovereign member states of the United Nations," he stressed.
He added that the Civil Aviation of Cyprus provides air traffic control services to some 400,000 flights annually, making the Nicosia FIR of strategic importance for international traffic.
He said, however, that there are cases, fortunately few, as he noted, where politics affects the normal implementation of all ICAO regulations and standards, adding that "such examples are the case of Crimea where Russia and Ukraine are involved, the case of Taiwan and China and of course the case of Cyprus."
Referring to the case of Cyprus, Mr. Benjamin said that as recognized by ICAO, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency - EASA, the International Federation of Air Traffic Pilots IFALPA, the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers IFATCA, as well as the International Air Transport Association IATA, "there are risks in the Nicosia FIR due to the fact that some important ICAO regulations are not implemented as a result of the political situation between Turkey and Cyprus."
Specifically, Mr. Benjamin said that "there is no communication between the Ankara and Nicosia Control Centres for the thousands of flights entering and leaving the two respective FIRs due to the fact that Turkey does not recognise the Republic of Cyprus." while "there are frequent violations of Cypriot airspace by Turkish Airlines landing at the unrecognised ERCAN or TYMBOU airport, as well as by military aircraft, without any coordination with the Nicosia Control Centre, the only one recognised by ICAO".
He also said that there is interference with overflights using the Nicosia FIR from the unrecognised Control Centre that exists in occupied Cyprus and added that "these anomalies inevitably create serious risks for the 400,000 flights using the Nicosia FIR".
These risks are recognised by all the aforementioned bodies and organisations, which regularly include them in their annual reports, he added.
Therefore, according to Mr Benjamin, "it is understandable to ask, since it is generally recognised that there are risks to human lives, why this anomalous situation is allowed to continue."
"I am afraid the answer is the same as in many other cases in human history, where politics trumps common sense and the saving of human lives," he added."
Referring to his efforts as ICAO Secretary General to find a solution that would at least partially resolve the safety issue and that could transcend political sensitivities, Mr. Benjamin said that in November 2012, accompanied by FSF - MED Executive Director Christos Petrou, he had a meeting with the then President of the Republic of Cyprus, during which he made a verbal proposal which he felt would significantly reduce the risks to flight safety, adding that "this effort did not materialise for various reasons and the situation remains as it was then".
He said, however, that it is encouraging that there are cases where other considerations prevail over policies, if only out of necessity or out of responsibility and sensitivity for the safety of some of its professionals.
In particular, the former ICAO Secretary General said that the thousands of Turkish Airlines overflights using the Nicosia FIR for other destinations, for example Africa, pay through EUROCONTROL the necessary route charges to the Republic of Cyprus (about 12 million euros per year).
"This is of course out of necessity, as these airlines know that if they do not pay, according to the EUROCONTROL Convention, one of its aircraft can be impounded at an airport in another member state until payment is made," he added.
He also said that unlike the Ankara Control Centre which refuses to communicate with the Nicosia Control Centre, the pilots of the thousands of Turkish Airlines overflights using the Nicosia FIR communicate with the Nicosia Control Centre by applying operational procedures, probably out of professional responsibility and respect for safety.
"This is of course not the appropriate procedure foreseen by the relevant ICAO regulations, but at least they reduce the risks to some extent," he noted.
Finally, the former ICAO Secretary-General expressed the view that the future development of international civil aviation can go a long way in creating and maintaining friendship and understanding between nations and security peoples, adding that 45 million flights take place every year worldwide and in 2019 carried over 4.2 billion people.
He further said that "in this complex but safe global operation", 333,000 pilots flew 25,000 aircraft in service (expected to increase to 40,000 by 2030) at 42,000 airports, while aviation contributes on average 4-5% to global GDP or about $4 trillion and employs about 70 million people.
Moreover, FSF MED Executive Director Christos Petrou said regarding the potential regional role that Cyprus can play, that the Foundation has made several proposals to the Government, while he expressed the need to raise, globally, in all international forums, Turkey's actions in Cyprus' Exclusive Economic Zone, the buffer zone, Famagusta and the violation of Cyprus' national airspace.
"All these complex issues cannot be dealt with on a day-to-day basis, but in the context of a national strategy, which I am afraid we do not have," he added. Petrou also said that if "we can regain some of the spirit and confidence we demonstrated after the disastrous Turkish invasion, we can manage to develop our small country and place it where it can potentially be."
Source: CNA
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