The Cypriot government has announced plans to file formal complaints after aircraft carrying several European defence ministers reportedly experienced interference while travelling to Cyprus for an EU meeting on Monday (8 June).
Victor Papadopoulos, director of the press office of Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, said authorities had been informed by the defence ministers of Greece, France, and the Netherlands that their aircraft encountered disruptions linked to operations from Ercan International Airport, an airport located in the Turkish-controlled northern part of the island.
Papadopoulos stated that the aircraft carrying Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias was also approached by Turkish fighter jets operating in the area. He said Cyprus would raise the matter with relevant international bodies and that Dendias would brief EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and the European Council.
According to Greek and Cypriot officials, radio communications with some of the aircraft were disrupted by air traffic controllers operating from Ercan Airport as the planes approached Cyprus. Officials also reported that two Turkish F-16 fighter jets tracked at least one of the aircraft carrying European delegations while maintaining a distance.
The reported incidents involved a military aircraft transporting Dendias and another carrying French Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin. Cypriot officials said an aircraft carrying the Dutch delegation was also affected.
Turkish Cypriot authorities rejected the allegations. Kursad Hudaverdioglu, head of the Turkish Cypriot air traffic controllers’ union, denied that any interference had occurred. He said the F-16s had taken off in response to an emergency and flew north of the island without violating airspace. He also described reports that the aircraft were tracked as politically motivated.
The incident occurred as Cyprus hosted a meeting of EU defence ministers during its term holding the rotating presidency of the European Council. It also came ahead of the planned signing of a defence cooperation agreement between Cyprus and France. The accord is intended to establish the legal framework for French military personnel to train and operate in Cyprus and expand cooperation in areas such as military exercises, defece technology, and personnel exchanges.
Source: commonspace.eu with Politico
