Armenian, Assyrian and Hellenic Genocide News

Turks' war games spark Cyprus fury
by AFP - 25/11/2000
Posted: Sunday, November 26, 2000 08:03 pm CST

Turkish warplanes have touched down in the Turkish-controlled north of divided Cyprus, infuriating the government in the Greek-controlled south.

A Turkish military source said two F-16 fighters landed at the northern airport of Gecitkale as part of three-day joint military exercises between Turkish and Turkish Cypriot forces, which ended on Thursday.

The exercises were held in retaliation for the landing of Greek aircraft in the south during similar manoeuvres between Greece and Greek Cyprus last month, the source said.

The two aircraft were among six Turkish F-16s that bombed "enemy" positions in drills earlier in the day, observed by Turkish Defence Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu, Turkish land forces commander Hilmi Ozkok and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, the source said.

But the Greek Cypriot government claimed that more than 30 Turkish aircraft took part in the exercises, dubbed Taurus 2000, and accused Ankara of stoking tension on the island.

"Turkey is trying to create a climate of tension evident by the provocative number of over 30 aircraft participating in Taurus," Defence Minister Socrates Hasikos said.

On Tuesday, the government warned Turkey it would respond to breaches of its air space by deploying Russian anti-aircraft missile radar, activated for the first time against two Turkish reconnaissance planes during the Greek war games.

Mr Hasikos confirmed orders were issued for the radar to lock on to Turkish aircraft during Taurus 2000 if deemed necessary, "but fortunately the situation did not arise".

He added: "The consequences of such an act are not so simple ... we don''t want to be the first to spark a crisis."

Radar lock-ons, indicating preparedness to fire on aircraft, were considered a hostile act, military experts said, adding that the defences were not activated because Turkish planes did not breach the 1974 ceasefire line.

Greek Cypriot military sources said an unprecedented 22 F-16s participated in Thursday''s final phase, hitting mock targets with live fire. The previous evening, eight Turkish fighters took part in a simulated night raid over occupied Nicosia and the enclave of Morphou.

"The government is monitoring the situation and taking all the necessary steps to protest against the air violations and provocations," Mr Hasikos said.

Military brinkmanship will be an issue that United Nations envoy Alvaro de Soto is expected to discuss when he arrives early next month to prepare for the next talks between the two sides, scheduled for January in Geneva.

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