Fifty British politicians are calling for the authorization of direct flights to the TRNC

Two of the UK's leading political parties have petitioned the Foreign Minister to lift the "punitive and unjust ban" on direct flights to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). A bipartisan group of 50 influential British politicians signed a letter addressed to Lord David Cameron.

In their appeal, former and current parliamentarians expressed serious concerns about the treatment of the TRNC and urged for "the initiation of direct flights from the United Kingdom to Ercan International Airport - the largest airport on the island of Cyprus."

The letter comes in response to a plea from the 300,000-strong Turkish Cypriot diaspora and was sent to the Foreign Minister as a final effort before parliament dissolves for general elections.

The authors of the appeal pointed out that the UK permits flights to countries not recognized by the UN, such as Kosovo, and to countries it doesn't diplomatically recognize, such as Taiwan. This raises questions as to why Northern Cyprus is excluded from this list.

Signatories emphasized that flights to the TRNC pose no safety risk, as Ercan Airport adheres to international aviation safety standards and serves hundreds of thousands of passengers annually.

Representatives from the two major British political parties also cautioned that if the UK continues to snub the TRNC, it "risks ceding influence to countries like Russia and Iran, undermining Britain's strategic position in the Eastern Mediterranean."

According to The Independent, signatories of the appeal to the Foreign Minister include former Labour Foreign Minister Lord Stro and former Tory party leader Sir Ian Duncan Smith.

The initiative was spearheaded by TRNC President Ersin Tatar, who has also led efforts to pursue a two-state solution. Cypriot Turks residing in the UK, along with their friends and families, have rallied behind the campaign.

"Approximately 300,000 Turkish Cypriots live in the UK, while 15,000 British expatriates call Northern Cyprus home. Onerous and unnecessary flight restrictions only burden those wishing to visit relatives or vacation. It's time for the UK to lift its regressive ban on flights to the TRNC, a promise made 20 years ago that remains unfulfilled," stated Chet Ramadan, founder of the "Freedom and Justice for Northern Cyprus" organization.