Press Releases

Thousands Tell Blair to Permit Direct Flights to Ercan - 10 April 2007

10 April 2007: Just under 8,000 UK residents signed an online petition, which ended on 5 April 2007, calling on British Prime Minister “to support the recent application to the UK Civil Aviation Authority for direct flights between London and Ercan airport in northern Cyprus”. Set up on Tony Blair’s official website four months ago by Embargoed! member Ata Cholak, the petition received 7,944 signatures and prompted global interest in the direct flights issue and ongoing isolation of Turkish Cypriots.

Cholak’s petition, which was open to UK citizens and residents, was signed by dignitaries such as Lord Maginnis, Sir Michael Graydon, Hussein Chalayan MBE, and MEP Chris Davies. It has helped raise global awareness about the campaign for direct flights between the UK and North Cyprus; the UK Parliament along with thousands of people worldwide have debated the issue, which has been featured on hundreds of websites and covered in diverse media including The American Chronicle and The Independent.

Petition organiser Ata Cholak commented, "Firstly, I want to say a big thank you to everyone who signed the petition. People power is important and nearly 8,000 added their voice to this important campaign, while millions more are now aware about the flights embargo on North Cyprus. The petition’s also opened many more doors for Embargoed!, helping us take the case for Turkish Cypriot rights straight to decision-makers. We won’t stop until we have direct flights to Ercan!”
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Notes to editors

The full direct flights petition text and signatories can be found at: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Direct-Flights/

About Embargoed! – www.embargoed.org
Embargoed! is an independent human rights group campaigning for the immediate and unconditional end to all embargoes against North Cyprus. The group was launched on 4 March 2005 and aims to play an active role in raising awareness about the isolation of North Cyprus and lobbying world leaders and institutions to restore the fundamental political, economic and social rights of Turkish Cypriots.

Contact Embargoed!:
• Telephone/fax: + 44 (0)20 8279 8561
• Email: mail@embargoed.org;
• Post: Embargoed! Suite 205, 14 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 1JY

Press Enquiries:
Ms. Ýpek Özerim T: +44 (0)777 623 0466 E: ipekh@excite.com



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