InfoAnda - Row over Cyprus air control poses safety risk

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

SKorea has new outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease | 14 January 2010
Taiwan's Ma treads carefully in forging China ties | 11 November 2009
Samsung Heavy wins huge deal from Royal Dutch Shell | 9 March 2010

China denies central bank chief has fled | 31 August 2010

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Row over Cyprus air control poses safety risk

Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail More Yahoo! Services Account Options New User? Sign Up Sign In Help Yahoo! Search web search Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Asia Pacific World Row over Cyprus air control poses safety risk AFP - 2 hours 54 minutes ago Send IM Story Print Row over Cyprus air control poses safety risk NICOSIA (AFP) - – A decades-old dispute over the control of Cyprus airspace has sparked accusations of a growing safety risk as the volume of air traffic over the divided resort island expands. The Greek Cypriot head of Nicosia Air Traffic Control, which under international law is responsible for supervising the airspace over the island as well as a large slab of the adjacent eastern Mediterranean, says there have been near misses and that the number of incidents is growing. The rival Turkish Cypriot aviation authorities, who oversee flights between Turkey and the breakaway north of the island and claim jurisdiction over the surrounding airspace, acknowledge there is a problem but say the cause is the Nicosia controllers' refusal to talk to them. "We've had a couple of very bad incidents," said Nicosia air traffic chief Haris Antoniades. "We had a very, very serious case about 18 months ago," Antoniades told AFP. "There was a Russian flight coming from the Egyptian airspace, flying through Nicosia to Turkey, to go to Russia, and then we had another flight coming south. "Because of the intervention of Ercan, there was a near collision when one of the two pilots requested a different level," he said referring to the airport in the breakaway north where Turkish Cypriot controllers are based. "It was a real mess." Antoniades said the number of flight "incidents" was on the rise -- up from 390 in 2006 to 458 last year. Due to the expansion of air traffic, he said his staff was working overtime to maintain safety in the area. There are no flights across the UN-patrolled buffer zone that has divided Cyprus ever since Turkish troops occupied its northern third following a Greek Cypriot coup in 1974. The United Nations oversees a no-fly zone over the dividing line, using two helicopters staffed by 28 Argentine peacekeepers. "Generally speaking, the two sides have been respecting the no-fly zone over the buffer zone and have not committed any significant violations in recent years," UN spokesman Rolando Gomez said. "However, on occasion there have been some aircraft from both sides that have strayed close to the buffer zone largely as a result of pilots becoming disorientated." Antoniades said the risks of disorientation among pilots unfamiliar with the "weird situation" regarding the island's airspace was one of his biggest concerns. The Nicosia Flight Information allocated by the UN International Civil Aviation Organization covers a 173,000-square-kilometre (66,800-square-mile) area of the eastern Mediterranean and controls overflights serving a large number of countries. When aircraft cross the Ankara-Nicosia FIR boundary, they are directed by Ankara to change frequency to Ercan, creating a confusing situation of "double control" for Nicosia air traffic controllers, Antoniades said. "You don't know the intentions of the air traffic because they are not talking to you," he told AFP. "It's like having someone blindfolded walking round with other people in the room. Eventually there is a serious risk he's going to hit someone." But for Turkish Cypriot air traffic controllers it is not pilots' failure to contact Nicosia Air Traffic Control that creates the problem but their Greek Cypriot counterparts' refusal to deal with them, despite the rising volume of traffic into Turkish Cypriot airports. "The only way to overcome the problems mentioned is cooperation," Turkish Cypriot civil aviation chief Hasan Topaloglu told AFP. "It would be technical cooperation for flight safety, it would not have a political aspect." Topaloglu said that currently the only way the two sets of air traffic controllers could coordinate was by listening into each other's radio transmissions. "We do not have direct contact but we monitor each other's frequencies. We are ready for cooperation with southern Cyprus but they reject it," he said, adding that his staff sometimes heard obscenities about Turkish Cypriots on the Nicosia frequency. Topaloglu dismissed allegations his controllers were not up to the job. "In the early hours of the morning on June 26, 2010, a Malaysian plane and a Turkish ambulance plane averted danger at 36,000 feet (11,000 metres) off Paphos (a Greek Cypriot airport in the southwest of the island)," he said. "It was Ercan air traffic control centre which helped overcome this danger." Topaloglu said that Greek Cypriot authorities needed to accept the reality that two million passengers a year used Turkish Cypriot airports, between 35 and 40 percent of them EU citizens, some of them Greek Cypriots. "Nobody can ignore Ercan," he said. Resolving the problem is one of the issues being addressed in long-running UN-brokered talks between the leaders of the two sides aimed at resolving the island's division once and for all. "The two sides exchanged views on the Flight Information Region in Cyprus in their meetings in January and February this year... which amounted to a very constructive dialogue," the UN spokesman said. But he warned that air traffic control and the wider question of the island's future governance under a power-sharing deal was just one of six sensitive issues being addressed in the talks, which have been going on since September 2008, and was not going to be resolved overnight. "At present, the two leaders are discussing the property question," Gomez told AFP. "For the time being, it is unclear when the issue of air traffic control, or rather the Flight Information Region, will be revisited in the current talks." Recommend Send IM Story Print Related Articles Court orders 'Bookseller of Kabul' author to pay damages AFP - Sunday, July 25 US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary Reuters - Saturday, July 24 Black Eyed Peas' E.N.D. tour has staying power Reuters - Saturday, July 24 Bret Michaels cited for marijuana on tour bus Reuters - Saturday, July 24 Ex-Semisonic frontman steps into solo spotlight Reuters - Saturday, July 24 News Search Top Stories China sends pandas into wild to bring up cubs BP boss could resign within days Spain's Lorenzo takes MotoGP pole US economy 'gradually' improving: Geithner European governments relieved by bank stress tests More Top Stories » ADVERTISEMENT Most Popular Most Viewed Most Recommended Actress Zsa Zsa Gabor in 'critical condition': publicist BP to start drilling off Libya Solar drone lands after record 14 days aloft European governments relieved by bank stress tests Monaco's playboy prince sets wedding date More Most Viewed » Parachuting donkey shocks Russian beachgoers Paris Hilton caught with cannabis in handbag Germany's 'Octopus oracle' keeps perfect record More Most Recommended » Elsewhere on Yahoo! Financial news on Yahoo! Finance Stars and latest movies Best travel destinations More on Yahoo! News Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Subscribe to our news feeds Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS » More news feeds | What are news feeds? Also on Yahoo! Answers Groups Mail Messenger Mobile Travel Finance Movies Sports Games » All Yahoo! Services Site Highlights Singapore Full Coverage Most Popular Asia Entertainment Photos World Cup 2010 Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - Community - Intellectual Property Rights Policy - Help

Other News on Sunday, 25 July 2010
Egypt kills Sudanese migrant near Israel border
Iran, Brazil, Turkey to discuss nuclear fuel swap
Fifteen killed in mass panic at German Love Parade |
US economy 'gradually' improving: Geithner
Turkey, Iran, Brazil to discuss nuclear swap deal
As Cubans wait, Castro to mark revolution's start |
Putin pledges bright future to former spies in U.S. |
NATO soldiers 'reported missing' in Afghanistan
Turkish PM proposes amending sensitive army law
Congo rebels seize Indian pilot in attack on plane |
Turkey, Iran, Brazil to discuss nuclear swap deal |
AU says must replace Western partners with China |
Revolt to force Japan FA boss out of office
AU says must replace Western partners with China
Putin pledges bright future to former spies in U.S.
Khmer Rouge prison chief awaits verdict
US aircraft carrier ups pressure on NKorea
NKorea vows nuclear response to US-SKorea drills
Saudi cleric says Muslim women can respect veil bans
Stampede at Love Parade in Germany kills 15
India, EU in new bid to clinch free-trade deal
Court orders 'Bookseller of Kabul' author to pay damages
Search on for 2 US soldiers missing in Afghanistan
19 killed in Love Parade stampede in Germany
Mexico police find 51 in mass grave near Monterrey |
2 US Navy service members missing in Afghanistan
China sends pandas into wild to bring up cubs
Britain's royals post family pictures online
As Cubans wait, Castro to mark revolution's start |
Lockerbie bomber release 'wrong' but no BP link: London
BP boss could resign within days
Pandora tops 60 million users, mobile growth strong
Spain's Lorenzo takes MotoGP pole
French hostage rescue mission in Mali fails: ministry
Explosives experts in bloody dance with bomb makers |
U.S., South Korea start military drills as North protests |
Eighteen killed in stampede at German Love Parade |
Putin 'sings songs' with deported Russian spies
US, S.Korea stage naval exercise despite nuclear threats
Australian opposition promises fewer migrants
Eastern US cooks in summer heat, temps reach 100s
Beijing hits out at US comments on South China Sea
Floods close Chicago interstate, damage Iowa dam
US aircraft carrier leads drills with South Korea
China warns of more rain in flood-hit areas
Bangkok residents vote in Thailand's litmus test poll
Russian farmers suffer 'catastrophe' in baking heat
US aircraft carrier ups pressure on North Korea
Floods and landslides kill 10 in Vietnam: govt
Row over Cyprus air control poses safety risk
US aircraft carrier ups pressure on NKorea
U.S., South Korea start military drills as North protests
Deep in Colombian jungle, a first in eco gold
Markets to issue verdict on stress tests
China sends pandas into forest to bring up cubs in wild
Toyota expected to report sharp recovery in Q1: report
Global Weather-Celsius
Fewer Tibetans fleeing to the Dalai Lama
Children of prisoners in China given a fresh start
Quake strikes off Tonga, Samoa; no damage reported
Chinese miner goes from corporate star to villain
Iraq parliament to meet Tuesday but impasse lingers
Basque ETA rebels say region "on brink of change"
Fees for online news yet to succeed
Taliban claim to have killed one US soldier
Taliban say they're holding U.S. soldier and second killed |
Turkey, Brazil urge Iran to be flexible on nuclear talks
BP chief likely to resign in wake of US oil spill
German police defend safety steps at music fest |
Iran will react if ships inspected
Iran will react if ships inspected: Ahmadinejad |
Search on for two US soldiers missing in Afghanistan
Ten wounded in bombing as Bangkok votes |
Taliban: 1 missing US sailor dead, other captured
Taliban: 1 missing US trooper dead, other captured
Iran favors talks with EU after Ramadan
Bangkok explosion wounds at least nine: police
Japan rescue helicopter crash kills 5: report |
Ten wounded in bombing as Bangkok votes
Iraq parliament to meet Tuesday but impasse lingers |
Afghan gov't: Taliban kills 1 US sailor, 1 held
Australian PM Gillard on top in election debate
Japan rescue helicopter crash kills 5
Bettencourt aide denies illegally funding French party |
Khmer Rouge victims pray at prison before verdict
Swimmers seen near China oil spill: Greenpeace
Australian opposition wins TV debate
Cloistered French nuns sign record deal
Pilgrims flock to Spain's Way of St.James
Professional vodka tasters keep Polish tipple pure
US aircraft carrier leads drills with South Korea
Floods and landslide in Indonesia kill 21: official
Salt can't shake Inception at box office |
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph	VPN on MacOSX	BlogMeter 1.01