Turkish-language media leaps on Blair’s weekend statements on flights to the north
TURKISH AND Turkish Cypriot media and politicians have been playing up statements by British Prime Minster Tony Blair on Saturday that he favoured direct flights from the UK to the north of the island.
During a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara in support of Turkey’s EU accession, Blair was asked about direct flights to the north.
“This is something I would like to do. The problem is whether lawfully, under international agreements that cover aviation, we are able to do so. If it was lawfully possible to do so, then I would like to see us do it,” he said.
Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat has applied to the British authorities for direct flights, which are banned under international law.
Only Turkey operates direct flights to the north and British tourists must first land in Istanbul or Ankara before being able to travel to the north.
President Tassos Papadopoulos responded later on Saturday saying: “They have been trying to do so for three years but to no avail.”
He added: “The ‘if’ in this statement is a big ‘if’.”
But Blair said British officials were consulting international aviation rules to see if direct flights were possible. “That is what we’re doing now,” Blair said.
Turkish and Turkish Cypriot media were linking the possibility of direct flights with international recognition of the ‘TRNC’.
“Known as the ‘Taiwan model’, this move will allow all kinds of commercial relations with Northern Cyprus,” said one paper.
Talat said direct flights from the UK was very important for the economy of the north.
He said in addition to British companies which would like to buy goods from the Turkish Cypriots, British tourists would also benefit from the flights.
“Tony Blair said similar things before however nothing happened. I hope this time something happens. We have applied to the British Civilian Aviation Association and we are waiting for an answer. We hope a positive answer comes,” he said.
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said: “Blair’s talking about direct flights and his decisive stance as regards to removal of every kind of isolation, is of course very important.”
