Turkish jets harassed the military aircraft carrying Greek National Defense Minister Nikos Dendias to Cyprus. Aircraft carrying the defense ministers of France and the Netherlands were also targeted.
Specifically, sources report that the “control tower” of the illegal Tymbou airport in occupied Cyprus attempted to jam the aircrafts’ communications. Furthermore, according to philenews, two Turkish F-16 fighter jets scrambled from Tymbou, tracking the official state aircraft of the European ministers from a distance as they headed toward Cyprus.
The incident took place just hours before France and Cyprus were set to sign a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) on Monday, which will allow Paris to station military forces on the island.
France and Cyprus to Sign Military Deployment Agreement
The agreement will be signed in Nicosia by French Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin and her Cypriot counterpart, Vassilis Palmas. Both ministers are scheduled to attend an informal meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council (Defense) on the same day.
The Turkish Cypriot side condemned the agreement as “null, void, and legally invalid.” They expressed concerns that the deal could alter the balance of power on the island, disregard Turkish Cypriot rights, and escalate regional tensions. They further argued that the Republic of Cyprus lacks the authority to sign such an agreement on behalf of the entire island.
Related: Turkey Deploys Six F-16s to Occupied Northern Cyprus
