Cyprus has reported 659 violations by Turkish air and naval forces made during June and July, in a letter sent to the UN secretary general, it was announced on Monday.
The letter was sent on September 29 by Cyprus’ permanent representative to the UN Maria Michail. Its date of distribution as a UN document is October 2.
In her letter, Michail reports 626 air and 33 naval violations of Cyprus’ national airspace, infringements of international air traffic regulations in the Nicosia flight information region (FIR), violations of the Republic’s territorial waters and the illegal use of closed ports and airports.
Of the 626 violations recorded, 203 were conducted by Turkish military unmanned aerial vehicles, while 192 involved Turkish armed military fighter aircraft, she said.
Cyprus also reported that Turkey conducted unauthorised military exercises in violation of the Republic of Cyprus’ national airspace, for which it illegally issued one notice to airmen.
The annexes document violations involving Turkish F-16 fighter aircraft, military drones, military helicopters and other aircraft.
The documented naval violations involved Turkish warships, including fast attack craft missile boats, frigates, submarines, landing ships and offshore patrol vessels.
Michail pointed out in her letter that “the Turkish occupation forces continue, on a daily basis, to violate the military status quo on the island, while steadily reinforcing their military presence and expanding military infrastructure in the Turkish-occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus.”
“These unlawful actions are not isolated incidents,” but constitute “further manifestations of Turkey’s continuing disregard of the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Cyprus and are contrary to the Charter of the United Nations and international law”.
Michail said “the continued violations and the persistent aggressive conduct of the occupying power clearly undermine efforts to foster the conditions of trust necessary for the resumption of meaningful negotiations towards a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem,” at the same time increasing “the sense of insecurity of all Cypriots”.
She assures the UN chief that the government is fully committed to supporting UN efforts “towards the resumption of negotiations and the achievement of a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement that will reunify the country and its people, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council”.