Cyprus closes its airspace to Belarus airlines, flights

NICOSIA (Reuters) - Cyprus has closed its airspace to flights from Belarus, joining a list of European Union nations imposing restrictions following the forced landing of a passenger jet in Minsk on May 23.

The aviation authority had banned airlines registered in Belarus from using Cyprus's airspace and airports from May 28, a transport ministry spokesperson said.

Most of Belarus's neighbours and many other European nations have banned Belarusian national airline Belavia flights in anger over the forced landing of a Ryanair jet en route to Lithuania from Greece and the arrest of a dissident journalist on board.

The same advisory prohibits Cyprus-registered airlines from entering Belarusian airspace, or flights to and from Belarus. All flights to Belarus have been suspended.

A scheduled Belavia flight from Minsk to Cyprus's Larnaca airport on May 29 was cancelled, another source said. The restrictions do not apply in the case of humanitarian or medical emergencies.

(Reporting By Michele Kambas; Editing by Andrew Heavens)