United Nations                                                                A/56/476-S/2001/972

General Assembly                       

                                                    Original: English

Letter dated 16 October 2001 from the Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the United Nations
addressed to the Secretary-General

           Upon instructions from my Government and further to my letter dated 18 June 2001 (A/55/990-S/2001/599), I have the honour to draw Your Excellency’s attention, and to protest in the strongest possible manner, to new massive violations of the national airspace of the Republic of Cyprus and the flight information region (FIR) of Nicosia perpetrated by military aircraft of the Turkish air force, recorded on 6, 7, 10, 12, 13, 17, 18, 20, 21 and 27 June, 2, 4, 5, 9, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 July, 1, 9, 16, 18, 28 and 29 August, as well as, on 5, 17, 21, 25, 26 and 28 September 2001.

           On 6 June, one C-160 Turkish military aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 12.30 hours, violating the national airspace of the Republic of Cyprus and international air traffic regulations, flying over the area of Karpasia (Cape Apostolos Andreas), before exiting in a south-easterly direction, at 13.22 hours. The aircraft returned later and once again illegally entered the Nicosia FIR and the national airspace of the Republic of Cyprus at 15.53 hours, flying over the area of Karpasia, before exiting towards the Ankara FIR at 16.48 hours.

           On 7 June, one C-160 Turkish military aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 12.43 hours, violating the Cypriot sovereign airspace and international air traffic regulations and flew over the Karpasia region before it exited flying in the direction of the Ankara FIR at 13.34 hours.

           On 10 June, the following violations occurred:

           (a)      One Turkish air force CN-235 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 10.07 hours, violating international air traffic regulations and the national airspace of the Republic of Cyprus, flying over the area of Mesaoria, before landing at the illegal airport of Tympou in the occupied area of the Republic. At 13.07 hours, the aircraft departed and, once again violating Cypriot sovereign airspace, exited the Nicosia FIR, at 13.25 hours, en route to the Ankara FIR;

           (b)      One Turkish air force CN-235 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 06.09 hours and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Karpasia region, exited the Nicosia FIR at 06.55 hours in a south-easterly direction. On the same day, the same aircraft re-entered the FIR at 14.02 hours and, once again violating Cypriot sovereign airspace, exited the Nicosia FIR at 15.01 hours, en route to the Ankara FIR.

           On 12 June, one Turkish air force C-160 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 11.58 hours and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Karpasia region and international air traffic regulations, exited the Nicosia FIR in a south-easterly direction, at 12.46 hours.

           On 13 June, at 10.48 hours four Turkish air force F-16 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR in one formation and exited en route to the Ankara FIR at 10.55 hours.

           On 17 June, one Turkish air force CN-235 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 16.32 hours and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Kyrenia region and international air traffic regulations, exited the Nicosia FIR en route to the Ankara FIR at 19.13 hours.

           On 18 June, one Turkish air force CN-235 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 08.08 hours and, having violated Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Kyrenia region, exited the FIR en route to the Ankara FIR at 09.55 hours. On the same day, one Turkish air force B-200 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 10.38 hours and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Mesaoria region, landed at the illegal Tympou airport at 10.56 hours. At 12.26 hours, the aircraft departed and, once again violating Cypriot sovereign airspace, exited the Nicosia FIR at 12.39 hours.

           On 20 June, one Turkish air force C-160 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 07.38 hours and exited at 08.24 hours in a southerly direction. At 13.06 hours, the aircraft re-entered the Nicosia FIR illegally and exited en route to the Ankara FIR at 13.44 hours. On the same day one Turkish air force C-130 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 12.27 hours and, violating the national airspace of the Republic of Cyprus and international air traffic regulations, flew over the Karpasia region and exited the Nicosia FIR, in a south-easterly direction, at 13.08 hours. At 17.24 hours, the aircraft re-entered the Nicosia FIR illegally and, once again violating Cypriot sovereign airspace, exited the Nicosia FIR en route to the Ankara FIR at 18.08 hours.

           On 21 June, one Turkish airforce F-4 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 15.16 hours and, violating the national airspace of the Republic of Cyprus and international air traffic regulations, flew over the Karpasia region and exited the Nicosia FIR at 15.38 hours, en route to the Ankara FIR.

           On 27 June, four Turkish air force F-4 aircraft, in one formation, illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 11.43 hours and exited at 11.56 hours, en route to the Ankara FIR, in a south-westerly direction, violating international air traffic regulations.

           On 2 July, one Turkish air force UH-60 aircraft departed from the illegal Tympou airport at 11.16 hours and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace and international air traffic regulations, exited the Nicosia FIR at 11.38 hours, en route to the Ankara FIR.

           On 4 July, one Turkish air force C-130 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 12.10 hours and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Karpasia region, exited the FIR in a south-easterly direction, at 12.57 hours. On the same day, the aircraft illegally re-entered the Nicosia FIR at 15.42 hours and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Karpasia region and international air traffic regulations, exited the Nicosia FIR en route to the Ankara FIR at 16.29 hours.

           On 5 July, one Turkish air force F-4 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 14.34 hours and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Karpasia region and international air traffic regulations, exited the Nicosia FIR en route to the Ankara FIR at 14.59 hours.

           On 9 July, one Turkish air force C-130 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 09.18 hours and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Mesaoria region, landed at the illegal Tympou airport at 09.34 hours. At 10.48 hours, the aircraft departed and, once again violating Cypriot sovereign airspace, exited the Nicosia FIR en route to the Ankara FIR at 11.05 hours.

           On 16 July, the following violations occurred:

           (a)      Two Turkish air force F-16 aircraft, in one formation, illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 14.09 hours and, violating international air traffic regulations, exited en route to the Ankara FIR at 14.16 hours;

           (b)      One Turkish air force B-200 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 11.20 hours and, having violated Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Mesaoria region, landed at the illegal Tympou airport at 11.39 hours. At 15.09 hours, the aircraft departed and, once again violating Cypriot sovereign airspace, exited the Nicosia FIR en route to the Ankara FIR, at 15.23 hours;

           (c)      Two Turkish air force F-16 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 16.54 hours and 17.28 hours respectively and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Karpasia region, landed at the illegal Lefkoniko airport at 17.15 hours and 17.45 hours respectively. The aircraft departed at 19.35 hours and, once again violating Cypriot sovereign airspace and international air traffic regulations, exited the Nicosia FIR in a formation at 19.55 hours, en route to the Ankara FIR.

           On 17 July, the following violations occurred:

           (a)      Two Turkish air force F-16 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 11.12 hours and, having violated Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Karpasia, Ammohostos, Mesaoria and Kyrenia regions, exited the Nicosia FIR at 11.48 hours, en route to the Ankara FIR;

           (b)      Two Turkish air force F-4 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 11.20 hours and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Karpasia, Ammohostos, Kyrenia and Mesaoria regions, exited the Nicosia FIR at 11.49 hours, en route to the Ankara FIR.

           On 18 July, one Turkish air force C-160 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 12.13 hours and, after violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Karpasia region, exited the Nicosia FIR, in a south-easterly direction, at 13.00 hours. On the same day, at 16.20 hours, the aircraft illegally re-entered the Nicosia FIR and, once again violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Karpasia region, exited the Nicosia FIR en route to the Ankara FIR at 17.16 hours.

           On 19 July, the following violations occurred:

           (a)      Nine Turkish air force NF-5 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR in four formations and, having violated Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Kyrenia and Karpasia regions, landed at the illegal Lefkoniko airport. Seven of the aircraft departed around noon, to carry out aero-acrobatics in different formations over the sea area of Kyrenia, and then landed once again at the illegal Lefkoniko airport;

           (b)      One Turkish air force C-160 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 07.52 hours and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Karpasia region, landed at the illegal Lefkoniko airport at 08.12 hours. At 15.40 hours the aircraft departed and, once again violating Cypriot sovereign airspace, exited the Nicosia FIR at 16.00 hours, en route to the Ankara FIR;

           (c)      One Turkish air force C-130 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 07.59 hours and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Karpasia region, landed at the illegal Lefkoniko airport at 08.20 hours;

           (d)      One Turkish air force B-200 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 10.00 hours and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Mesaoria region, landed at the illegal Tympou airport at 10.18 hours.

           On 20 July, eight Turkish air force aircraft, four F-16 and four F-4 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 11.08 hours and 11.16 hours respectively and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Kyrenia-Mesaoria-Karpasia and Ammohostos regions, participated in the military parade over the Kionelli region and exited the Nicosia FIR en route to the Ankara FIR, at 11.31, 11.33 and 11.35 hours respectively.

           On 21 July, the following violations occurred:

           (a)      Nine Turkish air force NF-5 aircraft departed from the illegal Lefkoniko airport (where they had landed on 19 July) and, after performing aero-acrobatics in different formations over the Kyrenia region, exited the Nicosia FIR en route to the Ankara FIR;

           (b)      One Turkish air force B-200 aircraft departed from the illegal Tympou airport (where it had landed on 19 July) and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace, exited the Nicosia FIR en route to the Ankara FIR at 11.23 hours;

           (c)      Two Turkish air force C-130 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 11.22 and 14.03 hours respectively and, having violated Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Karpasia region, landed at the illegal Lefkoniko airport. The aircraft later departed and, once again violating Cypriot sovereign airspace, exited the Nicosia FIR en route to the Ankara FIR at 14.39 and 16.35 hours respectively;

           (d)      One Turkish air force C-130 aircraft departed from the illegal Lefkoniko airport (where it had landed on 19 July) at 11.24 hours and, violating the Cypriot sovereign airspace, exited the Nicosia FIR en route to the Ankara FIR, at 11.40 hours;

           (e)      One Turkish air force aircraft of an unknown type was spotted within the Nicosia FIR, and after having flown over the Cypriot territorial waters, its track was lost in the Nicosia FIR.

           On 1 August, one Turkish air force C-160 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 12.28 hours and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Karpasia region (Cape Apostolos Andreas), exited the FIR in a south-easterly direction, at 13.23 hours. On the same day, the aircraft illegally re-entered the Nicosia FIR at 16.33 hours and, once again violating Cypriot sovereign airspace, exited the Nicosia FIR at 17.25 hours, en route to the Ankara FIR.

           On 9 August, the following violations occurred:

           (a)      One Turkish air force F-4 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 10.07 hours and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Karpasia region, exited the Nicosia FIR in a south-easterly direction at 10.31 hours;

           (b)      One Turkish air force C-130 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 08.54 hours and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Karpasia region, exited the Nicosia FIR en route to the Ankara FIR at 14.54 hours.

           On 16 August, two Turkish air force B-200 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 09.43 and 09.48 hours respectively and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Mesaoria region, landed at the illegal Tympou airport at 09.50 and 09.54 hours respectively. At 10.45 hours, one of the aircraft departed and, once again violating Cypriot sovereign airspace, exited the Nicosia FIR at 11.01 hours, en route to the Ankara FIR.

           On 18 August, one Turkish air force B-200 aircraft departed from the illegal Tympou airport at 10.05 hours and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace, exited the Nicosia FIR en route to the Ankara FIR at 10.22 hours.

           On 28 August, two Turkish air force aircraft and one Agusta Bell and one Cougar aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 15.16 hours and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Mesaoria region, landed at the illegal airport of Krini at 16.10 and 16.18 hours respectively.

           On 29 August, one Turkish air force C-160 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 08.49 hours and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Karpasia region, exited the FIR in a south-easterly direction at 09.36 hours. On the same day, the aircraft illegally re-entered the Nicosia FIR at 13.46 hours and, once again violating Cypriot sovereign airspace, exited the Nicosia FIR en route to the Ankara FIR at 14.31 hours.

           On 5 September, one Turkish air force C-160 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 09.08 hours and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Karpasia region, exited the Nicosia FIR in a south-easterly direction at 10.01 hours. On the same day, the aircraft re-entered the Nicosia FIR illegally at 13.37 hours and, once again violating Cypriot sovereign airspace, exited the Nicosia FIR en route to the Ankara FIR at 14.29 hours.

           On 17 September, one Turkish B-200 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 09.48 hours and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Mesaoria region, landed at the illegal Tympou airport at 10.10 hours. At 11.19 hours, the aircraft departed, once again violating Cypriot sovereign airspace, en route to the Ankara FIR at 11.35 hours.

           On 21 September, two Turkish air force F-16 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 10.45 hours in one formation and exited the Nicosia FIR at 10.51 hours in the direction of the Ankara FIR.

           On 25 September, one Turkish air force C-130 aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 11.29 hours and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Karpasia region, exited the Nicosia FIR at 12.13 hours in a south-easterly direction. On the same day, the aircraft re-entered the Nicosia FIR illegally at 14.54 hours and, once again violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the same region, exited the Nicosia FIR en route to the Ankara FIR at 15.40 hours.

           On 26 September, one Turkish air force aircraft, of an unknown type, illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 11.36 hours and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Mesaoria region, landed at the illegal Tympou airport at 12.11 hours. At 12.22 hours, the aircraft departed and landed at the illegal Krini airport.

           On 28 September, one Turkish air force Gulfstream aircraft illegally entered the Nicosia FIR at 13.38 hours and, violating Cypriot sovereign airspace over the Mesaoria region, landed at the illegal Tympou airport at 13.54 hours. At 16.00 hours, the aircraft departed and once again violating Cypriot sovereign airspace, exited the Nicosia FIR at 16.13 hours.

           As repeated in all our previous correspondence, these violations blatantly contravene international law and air traffic regulations and procedures and manifestly show Turkey’s complete disrespect of all norms of international behaviour. Moreover, and more significantly, these violations seriously endanger civil aviation security.

           I would like to note that these violations are taking place at a time when the international community expects the Turkish side to reverse its decision to decline your invitation to resume the process of negotiations and not to place preconditions in order to return to the negotiating table. It is noted that the Security Council, on 26 September 2001, expressed disappointment at this Turkish negative attitude, which it characterized as unjustified.

           On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus, I strongly protest the above actions, which violate Security Council resolutions on Cyprus, and call for their cessation. The Government of Turkey should abide by the Charter of the United Nations and respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus and contribute towards a just and viable solution to the Cyprus problem, on the basis of United Nations resolutions.

           I shall be grateful if you would have the present letter circulated as a document of the General Assembly, under agenda item 62, and of the Security Council.

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