London, United Kingdom. The future of the United Kingdom’s sovereign bases in Cyprus is “not in question”, parliamentary undersecretary of state for the armed forces Al Carns said in parliament. The comments come amid debate over base security and political opposition in Cyprus.
Minister’s comments on the bases
Carns told parliament: “Our sovereign base in Cyprus is not in question.” He said that when Defence Secretary John Healey visited the island earlier this month, “the Cypriot national guard reaffirmed that our relationship is closer now than ever before”.
Discussion of drone threats and base protection
Carns referred to the complexity of dealing with drone attacks such as that of March 2, when an Iranian-made drone hit the Akrotiri air force base. “When it involves high and fast ballistic missiles combined with slow and low drones, it is a very complex problem for anyone to deal with, but we are trying to ensure that we come as close to 100 per cent as we can,” he said.
Question on protective equipment at Akrotiri
In a separate debate, opposition MP Mark Pritchard asked whether personnel at Akrotiri have access to “chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear protective kit”. Healey said that during his visit earlier this month he asked the base commander if anything further was needed from Britain, and the commander responded: “I have got everything that I asked for to protect ourselves”.
Political opposition and public concern in Cyprus
Carns’ comments came amid what opposition MP Al Pinkerton described in parliament as “growing disquiet within Cyprus” regarding the bases’ presence. Earlier this month, President Nikos Christodoulides said that “nothing has been ruled out” regarding the bases’ future, while Akel leader Stefanos Stefanou demanded their abolition.
Stefanou said his party has been “emphasising this for decades, calling for the abolition of the bases”, and said “the challenge now is to make it clear at every opportunity that Cyprus is not and does not want to become a war base”.
Opposition was also described as bicommunal, with Turkish Cypriot opposition political party CTP deputy leader Asim Akansoy saying the UK’s continued possession of two sovereign bases on the island is “a great mistake of history”.
What do you think should be considered when discussing the future and security of the UK’s sovereign bases in Cyprus?