The Government attaches great importance to the development of good relations with all our neighbors and as the only country in the region that is a Member of the European Union and EUROCONTROL, can potentially play a leading role in enhancing cooperation on aviation, Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades has stated.
President Anastasiades addressed a regional Conference titled “Aviation Safety For Off-shore Helicopter Operations/Search and rescue”, jointly organized by Flight Safety Foundation-Mediterranean (FSF-MED) and Fischer Institute of Israel, supported by the Cyprus Department of Civil Aviation and the Israeli Civil Aviation Authority. The address was delivered by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport and Communications Alecos Michaelides. During the Conference, a Memorandum of Understanding between FSF-MED and Cyprus Search and Rescue Centre was signed.
President Anastasiades noted that the cooperation between the countries of the region becomes even more important, since we live in a very volatile and politically unstable region. He added that he considers the Conference as another manifestation of the excellent relations between Cyprus and Israel in the fields of aviation, energy and search and rescue. These relations, he went on to say, become even more important, given the activities of gas exploration in the exclusive economic zones of the two countries.
“Our efforts in developing regional cooperation, are not confined to Israel alone, but extend to the other countries of the region. There have been already several tripartite meetings with Greece, Egypt and Jordan”, he added.
However, President Anastasiades pointed out that the development of aviation and the enhancement of flight safety in Cyprus, is hindered by the existence of the illegal airport in the occupied areas of Cyprus and the interventions of the so called “Ercan” station, in the provision of air traffic control in Nicosia FIR, which has been condemned by the International Civil Aviation Organization. This anomaly, he said, coupled with the frequent interference of unauthorized and uncoordinated military flights from Turkey, crates certain dangers to aviation.
As regards the Search and Rescue Centre of Cyprus, President Anastasiades said that this is manifestly one of the best in the Mediterranean region. With its modern infrastructure and dedicated personnel, it has saved a great number of human lives, President said and stressed that he has no doubt that it will continue to do so and be able to meet the new challenges when the gas exploration activities begin in the exclusive economic zone of Cyprus and the neighboring countries. “We, as Government, shall give them all the required support”, he said.
In a press conference, in the context of the Conference, Alecos Michaelides said that the conference provides the opportunity to the members of the two organisations to exchange ideas on flying safety and continue and reinforce the very good cooperation that already exist between the two institutions. Also, he said, it is an opportunity to reinforce the very good cooperation that exist between Cyprus Civil Aviation and the Authority of Civil Aviation of Israel.
The Director General of the Israeli Civil Aviation Authority Joel Feldschuh, also speaking in the press conference, stressed that the relationship between the two governments are very strong. As he pointed out, it is not only the common interest that Israel and Cyprus have in exploring the natural gas field in the region, but it is also the fact that the 90% of the air traffic which departs from Israel heading to Europe or to the West, goes trough Nicosia`s FIR.
Feldschuh stated that due to the military tension which is rising in the region much of the air traffic is going through Nicosia and in pick times this gate is very congested. He said that the two countries are cooperating in order to solve this problem, and expressed hope that by the end of the year all the problems will be solved.
Addressing the conference, Christos Petrou, Executive Director of FSF-MED Cyprus, said that this conference is the seventh in a raw that is organized in Cyprus. “Since all of us in the foundation are involved in one way or another in aviation, we consider that we should utilize this expertise for Cyprus and the wider region”, he said.
President Anastasiades addressed a regional Conference titled “Aviation Safety For Off-shore Helicopter Operations/Search and rescue”, jointly organized by Flight Safety Foundation-Mediterranean (FSF-MED) and Fischer Institute of Israel, supported by the Cyprus Department of Civil Aviation and the Israeli Civil Aviation Authority. The address was delivered by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport and Communications Alecos Michaelides. During the Conference, a Memorandum of Understanding between FSF-MED and Cyprus Search and Rescue Centre was signed.
President Anastasiades noted that the cooperation between the countries of the region becomes even more important, since we live in a very volatile and politically unstable region. He added that he considers the Conference as another manifestation of the excellent relations between Cyprus and Israel in the fields of aviation, energy and search and rescue. These relations, he went on to say, become even more important, given the activities of gas exploration in the exclusive economic zones of the two countries.
“Our efforts in developing regional cooperation, are not confined to Israel alone, but extend to the other countries of the region. There have been already several tripartite meetings with Greece, Egypt and Jordan”, he added.
However, President Anastasiades pointed out that the development of aviation and the enhancement of flight safety in Cyprus, is hindered by the existence of the illegal airport in the occupied areas of Cyprus and the interventions of the so called “Ercan” station, in the provision of air traffic control in Nicosia FIR, which has been condemned by the International Civil Aviation Organization. This anomaly, he said, coupled with the frequent interference of unauthorized and uncoordinated military flights from Turkey, crates certain dangers to aviation.
As regards the Search and Rescue Centre of Cyprus, President Anastasiades said that this is manifestly one of the best in the Mediterranean region. With its modern infrastructure and dedicated personnel, it has saved a great number of human lives, President said and stressed that he has no doubt that it will continue to do so and be able to meet the new challenges when the gas exploration activities begin in the exclusive economic zone of Cyprus and the neighboring countries. “We, as Government, shall give them all the required support”, he said.
In a press conference, in the context of the Conference, Alecos Michaelides said that the conference provides the opportunity to the members of the two organisations to exchange ideas on flying safety and continue and reinforce the very good cooperation that already exist between the two institutions. Also, he said, it is an opportunity to reinforce the very good cooperation that exist between Cyprus Civil Aviation and the Authority of Civil Aviation of Israel.
The Director General of the Israeli Civil Aviation Authority Joel Feldschuh, also speaking in the press conference, stressed that the relationship between the two governments are very strong. As he pointed out, it is not only the common interest that Israel and Cyprus have in exploring the natural gas field in the region, but it is also the fact that the 90% of the air traffic which departs from Israel heading to Europe or to the West, goes trough Nicosia`s FIR.
Feldschuh stated that due to the military tension which is rising in the region much of the air traffic is going through Nicosia and in pick times this gate is very congested. He said that the two countries are cooperating in order to solve this problem, and expressed hope that by the end of the year all the problems will be solved.
Addressing the conference, Christos Petrou, Executive Director of FSF-MED Cyprus, said that this conference is the seventh in a raw that is organized in Cyprus. “Since all of us in the foundation are involved in one way or another in aviation, we consider that we should utilize this expertise for Cyprus and the wider region”, he said.
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