Turkey issues fresh warning over military activities in Cypriot airspace

Turkey has issued a new notice to airmen (Notam) regarding possible military activities in the airspace above and surrounding the north’s Ercan (Tymbou) airport, following a back-and-forth of Notams issued by the island’s two sides earlier in the week.

The latest Notam will be in effect until the end of April 12, and will, according to reports, “become active during the hours when the potential military operation takes place”.

A Notam is a notice containing information which is essential for personnel concerned with flight operations.

On Thursday, the north’s ‘transport minister’ Erhan Arikli said that “if the Notam becomes active, there is a possibility of delays in departures from Ercan airport”, and called on passengers using the airport to “be understanding”.

The latest Notam’s issuing comes with Turkey having stationed six F-16 fighter jets and Hisar-A surface-to-air missiles at the airport, and with the issuing of Notams having become a point of contention between the island’s two sides.

Earlier in the week, it was brought to light that the Cypriot civil aviation authority had issued a Notam regarding “possible military operations” in the skies off the coast of the Karpas peninsula.

Of this Notam, defence sources had told the Cyprus Mail that it had been requested by “the Americans”, with the Notam’s official wording having made reference to military activities carried out by the United States.

This irked the Turkish Cypriot authorities, who then issued their own Notam, advising “all aircraft in the region” to “take maximum precautions to ensure flight safety, carefully follow the published aeronautical information, and act in coordination with the relevant air traffic units”.

At the same time, the north’s ‘transport ministry’ had expressed disappointment that it had been issued without the Turkish Cypriot authorities’ consent, saying that “the TRNC … is the sole authorised authority responsible for providing air traffic and aeronautical information systems within its airspace”.

Later, Turkish defence ministry spokesman rear admiral Zeki Akturk declared the initial Notam to be “null and void”, saying that the Turkish Cypriot authorities had issued a “counter-Notam” which “invalidated the aforementioned Notam”.