Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told Turkish television channel NTV on Thursday that he had discussed opening direct flights from Russia to northern Cyprus with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
The breakaway Turkish state on the northern side of the divided island is recognized only by Ankara. According to Erdogan, flights from Russia will support the country’s economy, given the potential income from tourism.
“If direct flights from Russia to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus begin, we, of course, will be happy,” Erdogan was quoted as saying. NTV . He added that the rise in tourism would lead to a “major jump in the economy”.
Turkish media reported that the Turkish Cypriot transport minister said that two Russian airlines are interested in opening flights to the new Ercan airport, which will open on November 15.
This happened the day after the Russian embassy in Nicosia denied yet another report by the Turkish newspaper Milliyet about direct flights from Russia to Ercan airport. “Russia’s position on the Cyprus settlement has not changed. Moscow is not negotiating the opening of direct flights between Russia and northern Cyprus, ”a representative of the embassy told RIA Novosti.
Cyprus was split by the Turkish invasion in 1974, sparked by an attempted coup inspired by the Greek junta. Since then, Cyprus in the south has been ruled by the Greek Cypriot administration, which Ankara does not recognize.
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