March 24 (Reuters) – Cyprus has asked the UK to negotiate new security arrangements for Britain’s military bases on the island following Iranian drone attacks earlier this month, the Telegraph reported on Tuesday.
Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides raised the issue during a lengthy call with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Saturday, the report said.
Telegraph added that Christodoulides wants a renegotiation of security arrangements of the 1960 treaty, which established the sovereign bases of RAF Akitori and Dhekelia, when the Iran war ends. The report added that Cypriot demands will not include asking Britain to give up the bases.
A UK Ministry of Defence spokesperson, in a statement to Reuters, said the status of the bases was not up for negotiation and that the “long-standing friendship” between the UK and Cyprus remained strong “in the face of Iranian threats”.
“The status of the Sovereign Base Areas is not in question. The SBAs have never been part of the Republic of Cyprus as UK sovereignty was retained over these areas when Cyprus became independent in 1960. We have no plans to change this,” the spokesperson said.
Reuters could not immediately verify the report. Cyprus did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment
The request follows a drone strike that caused minor damage at Akrotiri and prompted European warships to respond earlier this month.
(Reporting by Rajveer Singh Pardesi and Heera Hari in Bengaluru; Editing by Mark Porter and Cynthia Osterman)
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