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US air safety experts coming to Cyprus

TWO American air safety experts will arrive on the island next week to review the workings of the civil aviation department, following a personal intervention by President Papadopoulos.

He made the surprise announcement on his return from New York where he invited the experts to come to Cyprus.

"In the USA I had the opportunity to meet representatives from the flight safety foundation and we discussed a possible mission to Cyprus, to examine the sectors, conditions of operation, expansion, job description and safety regulations of the civil aviation department."

"The first officials will come on Monday and, if possible, an agreement will be signed," Papadopoulos said.

He said that study should be complete within three weeks and that if the proposals were accepted, they would be implemented within six months.

The president said he wanted the project completed as quickly as possible and urged everyone to ensure red tape was kept to a minimum.

"I hope ministers and other state services will help in putting together an agreement without complications, or getting involved in bureaucracy, or tenders so we can complete this very important review."

Determined

Papadopoulos says he was determined to find out if the Cyprus civil aviation is up to scratch and whether any shortcomings within the department was in any way responsible for the Helios Airways crash last month.

Since the air tragedy, the government has put air safety top its agenda.

Criticism

But the move has raised some criticism with detractors accusing the government hiring more experts to cover old ground that should been resolved by now.

Opposition newspaper Alithia said the president was bringing in US experts to do the same job those two British specialists were paid Θ2m to do. The paper asked what happened to British report and what has been to improve the situation, if anything.

However, government spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides said it was unfortunate that some circles were "negative" towards the president�s genuine determination to review civil aviation and get to the bottom of the Helios crash.

"The position of the President is that there should be a complete investigation into the causes of the crash and who is responsible and how the civil aviation department operates," said Chrysostomides.

He said the department was being run on recommendations made by the British experts but a further assessment needed to be made.

"There will be further evaluation of the department to ascertain whether in practice it is doing a satisfactory job and which changes are needed for a better functioning of the department.