UK could end ban on direct charter flights to Northern Cyprus

By Andrew Beatty

Date: 17/02/05

The UK is considering starting direct flights to north Cyprus, perhaps within weeks of taking over at the EU's helm later this year, it has emerged.

The move would effectively end a decades-old ban on European companies operating direct flights to the self-styled Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Sources close to the UK government said that plans to allow charters to fly directly to airports in the north of the island are under "serious consideration". Would-be visitors currently have to travel via Turkey.

The move would be largely symbolic, further eroding the north's image as a pariah state, recognised only by Turkey.

The UK hopes to exploit different legal rules governing charter and scheduled flights, while staying within the parameters of international law.

The Republic of Cyprus - the island's only government recognised by the international community - has not registered the north's Ercan airport as operational, leaving it outside the International Civil Aviation Organisation's framework. But charter flights are not governed by the same rules and require no prior agreement between national aviation authorities. "They have been working on how to resolve some of the legal problems," said one London-based diplomat.

The US is also understood to be considering starting charter flights to the north and has contacted a number of airlines. Israel has previously allowed charter flights to fly directly to the north.

A spokesperson for the UK's representation to the EU said that he was "not aware of any plans" to lift the ban in the first weeks of the presidency.

"We have been saying for some time, since last year's referenda, that we have been looking at the possibility of direct flights. Direct flights would not constitute recognition," he said.

Resumption of flights could provide an important economic boost, say the Northern Cypriot authorities, reducing the cost of transporting tourists and goods. It might also provide an important diplomatic boost to EU efforts to resume direct trade talks.

According to diplomats, EU talks to allow goods to pass through Turkish-Cypriot ports are currently in "deadlock" because of opposition from the Greek-Cypriot south.

Nicosia says that direct trade would constitute de facto recognition of the north. "The airports and ports are illegally operating under Turkish control," said a Cypriot diplomat.

Article reports that the United Kingdom was considering an initiative on starting direct flights to north Cyprus, when taking over the Presidency of the EU Council in July 2005. The move would effectively end a decades-old ban on European companies operating direct flights to the self-styled Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.