United
Nations
General
Assembly
Distr.: General
Security Council
21 March 2003
Original: English
General Assembly
Fifty-seventh session
Agenda item 54
Question of Cyprus |
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Security Council
Fifty-eight year |
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Letter dated
19 March 2003 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 30 December 2002, I have
the honour to draw your attention to new violations of the flight
information region (FIR) of Nicosia and the national airspace of the
Republic of Cyprus by military aircraft of the Turkish Air Force recorded
on 29 December 2002; on 7, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 25, 28, 29 and 30 January
2003; on 19, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28 February 2003; and on 5, 10, 11,
13 and 14 March 2003, as follows.
On
29 December 2002
, one (1) C-650 Turkish military aircraft entered the
Nicosia FIR, 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
Lefkoniko
in the occupied area of the Republic. The aircraft
departed from the illegal
airport
of
Lefkoniko
the following day.
On
7 January 2003
, four (4) F-4 Turkish military aircraft, coming from
the FIR of
Ankara
, flying in one formation, entered the Nicosia FIR,
violating the international air traffic regulations before exiting in a
westerly direction.
On
15 January 2003
, one (1) Turkish military aircraft of unknown type
took off from the illegal
airport
of
Krini
in the occupied area of the Republic, violating
international air traffic regulations and the national airspace of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
, flying over the area of Mesaoria, exited towards the
FIR of
Ankara
.
On
17 January 2003
, one (1) Turkish military aircraft of unknown type
entered the Nicosia FIR, violating international air traffic regulations
and the national airspace of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
, flying over the area of Karpasia, before landing at
the illegal
airport
of
Lefkoniko
in the occupied area of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
. The aircraft returned on the same day to the FIR of
Ankara
.
On
20 January 2003
, one (1) CN-235 Turkish military aircraft entered the
Nicosia FIR, 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
Lefkoniko
in the occupied area of the Republic. The aircraft
returned on the same day to the FIR of
Ankara
.
On
22 January 2003
, two (2) F-16 Turkish military aircraft, coming from
the FIR of
Ankara
, flying in one formation, entered the Nicosia FIR,
violating international air traffic regulations and the national airspace
of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
, flying over the area of
Cape
Kormakitis
, before exiting in a westerly direction.
On
22 January 2003
, four (4) F-4 Turkish military aircraft, in one
formation, entered the Nicosia FIR, coming from the FIR of
Ankara
, violating international air traffic regulations,
before exiting in a westerly direction.
On
24 January 2003
, one (1) Turkish military aircraft of unknown type
took off from the illegal
airport
of
Krini
at the occupied area, violating international air
traffic regulations and the national airspace of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
, flying over the area of Mesaoria, before exiting
towards the FIR of
Ankara
.
On
25 January 2003
, one (1) CN-235 Turkish military aircraft entered the
Nicosia FIR, 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
Lefkoniko
in the occupied area of
Cyprus
. The aircraft departed from
Cyprus
on the same day.
On
28 January 2003
, one (1) C-650 Turkish military aircraft entered the
Nicosia FIR, violating international air traffic regulations and the
national airspace of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
, before landing at the illegal
airport
of
Lefkoniko
in the occupied area. The aircraft departed from
Cyprus
on the same day.
On
29 January 2003
, one (1) Turkish military aircraft of unknown type
(probably B-200) entered the Nicosia FIR, 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
Lefkoniko
in the occupied area of
Cyprus
, from where it departed on the same day.
On 29 January 2003, four (4) Turkish military aircraft (two F-4
and two F-16), in one formation, entered the Nicosia FIR, coming from the
FIR of Ankara, violating international air traffic regulations, before
exiting in the same direction.
On
30 January 2003
, one (1) B-200 Turkish military aircraft entered the
Nicosia FIR, violating international air traffic regulations and the
national airspace of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
, flying over Mesaoria, before landing at the illegal
airport
of
Lefkoniko
in the occupied area of
Cyprus
, from where it departed on the same day.
On
19 February 2003
, one (1) CN-235 Turkish military aircraft entered the
Nicosia FIR, 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
Lefkoniko
in the occupied area of
Cyprus
, from where it departed on the same day.
On
23 February 2003
, one (1) C-130 Turkish military aircraft entered the
Nicosia FIR, violating international air traffic regulations and the
national airspace of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
, flying over the area of Karpasia (
Cape
of
Apostolos Andreas
) before exiting in a south-easterly direction. The
aircraft returned on the same day.
On
24 February 2003
, four (4) F-16 Turkish military aircraft, flying in
one formation, six (6) F-4, flying in one formation, one (1) CN-235, one
(1) B-200 and one Turkish military aircraft of unknown type, entered the
Nicosia FIR, violating international air traffic regulations and the
national airspace of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
, as follows:
(a) The
two formations and the aircraft of the unknown type entered the Nicosia
FIR, flying over the area of Karpasia (
Cape
of
Apostolos Andreas
) before exiting in a south-easterly direction. They
returned on the same day, in the same direction;
(b) The
formations of F-16 and F-4 violated the national airspace of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
over the area of
Cape
of
Apostolos Andreas
;
(c) The
CN-235 aircraft violated the national airspace of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
over the area of
Cape
of
Apostolos Andreas
in a search and rescue mission, before exiting
towards the FIR of
Ankara
;
(d) The
B-200 entered the Nicosia FIR coming from the FIR of
Ankara
, violating international air traffic regulations and
the national airspace of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
, before landing at the illegal
airport
of
Lefkoniko
in the occupied area.
On
25 February 2003
, one (1) B-200 Turkish military aircraft took off
from the illegal
airport
of
Lefkoniko
in the occupied area, where it had landed on 24 February,
violating international air traffic regulations and the national airspace
of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
, flying over the area of Mesaoria. The aircraft
exited towards the FIR of
Ankara
.
On 26 February 2003, four (4) F-16 Turkish military aircraft,
flying in two formations, one (1) CN-235, one (1) KC-135 and one (1)
C-160 Turkish military aircraft entered the Nicosia FIR coming from the
FIR of Ankara, violating international air traffic regulations and the
national airspace of the Republic of Cyprus, as follows:
(a) The
two formations of F-16, the KC-135 and the C-160 aircraft entered the
Nicosia FIR, flying over the area of
Cape
of
Apostolos Andreas
, before exiting in a south-easterly direction. The
aircraft returned on the same day, in the same direction;
(b) The
CN-235 aircraft in a search and rescue mission violated international air
traffic regulations and the national airspace of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
, before exiting towards the FIR of
Ankara
;
(c) The
KC-135 escorted one formation of F-16 before exiting towards the FIR of
Ankara
;
(d) The
C-160 violated international air traffic regulations and the national
airspace of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
, flying over the
Cape
of
Apostolos Andreas
before exiting towards the FIR of
Ankara
.
On 27 February, four (4) F-16 in five formations, four (4) F-4 in
one formation, one (1) CN-235 and three (3) KC-135 Turkish military
aircraft, coming from the FIR of Ankara, entered the Nicosia FIR,
violating international air traffic regulations and the national airspace
of the Republic of Cyprus, as follows:
(a) The
six formations of F-16 and F-4 and the three KC-135 entered the Nicosia
FIR and flying over the occupied area of Cape of Apostolos Andreas,
exited in a south-easterly direction, from where they returned on the
same day in the same direction;
(b) Four
formations of F-16 violated the national airspace of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
, while exiting in a south-easterly direction;
(c) Three
KC-135 escorted the military aircraft. Two of these violated the
international air traffic regulations and the national airspace of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
, while returning over the area of
Cape
of
Apostolos Andreas
;
(d) Two
CN-235 in a search and rescue mission violated international air traffic
regulations and the national airspace of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
, flying over the area of
Cape
of
Apostolos Andreas
, before returning towards the FIR of
Ankara
.
On 28 February 2003, four (4) F-16 in four formations, one (1)
CN-235, two (2) KC-135 and one (1) C-130 Turkish military aircraft coming
from the FIR of Ankara entered the Nicosia FIR, violating international
air traffic regulations and the national airspace of the Republic of
Cyprus, as follows:
(a) Four
formations of F-16, two KC-135 and one C-130 entered the Nicosia FIR,
flying over the area of Cape of Apostolos Andreas and exiting in a
south-easterly direction, from where they returned on the same day, in
the same direction;
(b) The
two formations of F-16 and one C-130 violated the international air
traffic regulations and the national airspace of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
, over the area of
Cape
of
Apostolos Andreas
;
(c) The
F-16 formations were escorted by the KC-135 aircraft;
(d) The
CN-235, in a search and rescue mission, flying over the area of
Cape
of
Apostolos Andreas
, violating international air traffic regulations and
the national airspace of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
, before exiting towards the FIR of
Ankara
.
On
5 March 2003
, one (1) Turkish military aircraft of unknown type
entered the Nicosia FIR, violating the 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
Lefkoniko
. The aircraft returned on the same day.
On
5 March 2003
, two (2) F-4 Turkish military aircraft in two
formations, coming from the FIR of
Ankara
, entered the Nicosia FIR, violating international air
traffic regulations and the national airspace of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
, before exiting towards the FIR of
Ankara
.
On
10 March 2003
, one (1) CN-235 Turkish military aircraft entered the
Nicosia FIR, 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
Lefkoniko
, in the occupied area of
Cyprus
.
On
11 March 2003
, four (4) RF-4 Turkish military aircraft, flying in
one formation, entered the Nicosia FIR, coming from the FIR of
Ankara
, violating international air traffic regulations,
before exiting in a westerly direction.
On
13 March 2003
, four (4) Turkish military aircraft of unknown type
entered the Nicosia FIR, coming from the FIR of
Ankara
, violating international air traffic regulations and
the national airspace of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
, before exiting in a westerly direction.
On
14 March 2003
, two (2) F-16 Turkish military aircraft, flying in
one formation, entered the Nicosia FIR coming from the FIR of
Ankara
, violating international air traffic regulations and
the national airspace of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
, before exiting in a westerly direction.
On
14 March 2003
, one (1) CN-235 Turkish military aircraft took off
from the illegal
airport
of
Lefkoniko
, in the occupied area, where it had landed on 10
March, violating international air traffic regulations and the national
airspace of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
, flying over the area of Mesaoria, before exiting
towards the FIR of
Ankara
.
On behalf of the Government of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
, I strongly protest all the above-mentioned
violations of the Nicosia FIR and the national airspace of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
, which violate international law as well as Security
Council resolutions on
Cyprus
, and call for their immediate cessation. It is hoped
that the Government of Turkey will show restraint and respect of the
sovereignty of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
. The Government of Turkey should also heed the
appeals of the international community to change its own negative stance
and its backing for the Turkish-Cypriot leadership, which does not
reflect the will of the Turkish-Cypriot community, in order to contribute
to the efforts to find a just and functional solution to the Cyprus
problem, on the basis of United Nations resolutions.
I should be grateful if you would have the present letter
circulated as a document of the General Assembly, under agenda item 54,
and of the Security Council.
(Signed)
Sotos Zackheos
Ambassador
Permanent Representative
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