of the Cyprus conflict and the normalization of relations with the EU member states , including the RoC . This means that the Cyprus conflict was included as a precondition for Turkey ’ s full membership because any serious breach of the principles on which the Union was founde would lead to the suspension of negotiations 31 .
Component Problems of the Cyprus Conflict
The RoC ’ s membership to the EU not only did not bring about a solution to the Cyprus conflict but also deepened the isolation of Turkish Cypriots . Despite its promises to contribute to the economic development of Turkish Cypriots by adopting the Green Line Regulation in 2004 , which aimed at managing the movement of goods and people from North to South 32 , the “ TRNC ” economy is greatly dependent on Turkey . In fact , the “ TRNC ” is neither inside the EU nor outside of it . No country besides Turkey recognizes the “ TRNC ” as a sovereign state , so there is a problem of transport and communication between the world and the north of Cyprus . Since the “ TRNC ” is not recognized , there are no direct flights there . The International Civil Aviation Organization rejected including the Ercan Airport in the northern part of Nicosia in the Regional Air Navigation Plan because the government of the RoC – the only sovereign state on the island – had not requested it 33 . There are two options to reach the “ TRNC ”; to travel to the RoC and cross to the North by a car which became possible only after 2003 when the “ TRNC ” opened two of the checkpoints , or to take a flight to Ercan Airport . However , the planes have to stop in Istanbul and only after that fly to Ercan 34 . Meanwhile , the RoC considers entrance to the island by using this airport as illegal and may fine for it . It is vital to mention that the only direct flight to the Ercan Airport happened in 2005 from the Heydar Aliyev Airport in Baku when a plane
31 ibid .
32
Council Regulation ( EC ) No 866 / 2004 of 29 April 2004 on a Regime under Article 2 of Protocol 10 to the Act of Accession . ( 2004 ). https :// eur-lex . europa . eu / legalcontent / EN / TXT / PDF /? uri = CELEX : 02004R0866-20150831 & from = EN
33
Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus . ( n . d .). Illegal Flights to the Territory of the Republic of Cyprus which is Under Turkish Occupation . last modified May 2 , 2021 , http :// www . mfa . gov . cy / mfa / highcom / highcom _ pretoria . nsf / all / E27E244E590AAC3FC225 7A4D0037CD39 /$ file / ILLEGAL % 20FLIGHTS % 20TO % 20THE % 20TERRITORY % 20O F % 20THE % 20REPUBLIC % 20OF % 20CYPRUS % 20WHICH % 20IS % 20UNDER % 20TU RKISH % 20OCCUPATION . docx ? openelement
34
Eyüboğlu A ., Uçuş yasağını delen formül , ( 2014 ). [ The Formula that Breaks the Flight Ban ]. Milliyet . https :// www . milliyet . com . tr / cadde / ali-eyuboglu / ucus-yasagini-delenformul-1881029
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