**EU to Examine Reported Turkish Harassment of Aircraft Carrying Defence Ministers to Cyprus**
The European Commission announced on Tuesday that it is investigating reports of interference with aircraft transporting European defence ministers to Cyprus. This announcement comes in the wake of an incident that occurred on Sunday, as the ministers were en route to an informal meeting in Nicosia.
Anita Hipper, spokeswoman for the European External Action Service, confirmed during the Commission's daily briefing that Brussels is aware of the situation and is in the process of gathering pertinent information. "We have seen the reports and are of course aware of the issue," Hipper stated. She emphasized that the Commission would closely examine the details of the incident and maintain communication with the Cypriot government.
The aircraft in question were carrying Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias, as well as his counterparts from France and the Netherlands. Reports indicate that communications directed at these aircraft originated from the control tower at Tymbou (Ercan) airport in the northern part of Cyprus. Additionally, Turkish fighter jets were reportedly observed in the vicinity during the incident.
Cypriot government spokesman Victor Papadopoulos confirmed that the aircraft carrying the ministers were affected by the communications from the northern control tower. He stated that the matter would be addressed through the appropriate diplomatic channels, reiterating that Cyprus would "denounce all of this competently where appropriate."
Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides condemned the actions, labeling them as unacceptable. "There is absolutely no excuse," he remarked, adding that the incident involved aircraft from EU member states and reflected what he termed a "revisionist approach."
In response to the allegations, Turkey has denied any wrongdoing. The Turkish Presidency's communications directorate issued a statement on Monday, asserting that claims of Turkish fighter jets harassing the ministerial flights were false. However, Turkish officials confirmed that two F16 fighter jets were scrambled after what they described as "aircraft entering the airspace" of the northern part of Cyprus. According to their statement, the fighters were deployed "as a precaution" and conducted their operations within what Ankara refers to as the airspace of the north. Turkish authorities maintained that their aircraft did not enter the airspace controlled by the Cypriot government and did not interfere with the flights.
The incident occurred as Cyprus was hosting the informal council of EU defence ministers during its presidency of the EU Council. Although the matter was discussed among the ministers present at the Nicosia meeting, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas did not publicly comment on the situation during her remarks following the gathering.
As the investigation by the European Commission unfolds, it remains to be seen how this incident may impact diplomatic relations between Turkey and the EU, as well as the ongoing tensions in the region. The situation highlights the complexities surrounding airspace control and military operations in the context of Cyprus's divided status, which has been a point of contention since the island was split in 1974.
The EU's response and any potential actions taken in light of this incident will be closely monitored by both member states and international observers, as the implications could extend beyond this specific event to broader geopolitical dynamics in the Eastern Mediterranean.