Telegraph: Interview with UK Deputy Minister of Defence on British bases in Cyprus

Following the outbreak of war in the Middle East, the President of the Mediterranean island announced plans to renegotiate the future of the “colonial” British bases after the end of hostilities, the publication notes. As it describes, the events that took place, especially the drone attack on the Akrotiri base, intensified security concerns and prompted “the allies of Nikos Christodoulides, the President of Cyprus, to draw up plans, modeled on Britain’s controversial agreement for the concession of the Chagos Islands, with the aim of regaining sovereignty over the island’s bases. According to the plan that Nicosia may be considering, the two military facilities would come under the sovereignty of Cyprus, but would then be leased back to Britain for continued use. Speaking from RAF Akrotiri, Mr Carns dismissed any suggestion that the government might consider talks to cede control of the bases.

Rather than engage in a debate about the bases and the surrounding land, Mr Carns believes the best option is to work with Nicosia to ensure the effective defence of the island. “What we are seeing, because of the threat that has arisen, for the first time in a long time, is that Cypriots, the British and other allies are working together to develop a comprehensive plan for the defence of the capabilities here,” Mr Carns said. “I think we will see a lot of positive results. We can understand some of the friction, but the reality is that the legal basis of these sovereign territories is not negotiable.”

Instead, commanders have reinforced the base’s defences to demonstrate Britain’s commitment to protecting not just the facilities but the whole of Cyprus,” the article notes, among other things, which then describes the UK’s measures to strengthen the air defences of bases in Cyprus. To counter incoming ballistic missiles, it is reported, among other things, that HMS Dragon, a Type 45 destroyer, had been sent to the area to provide defensive cover, but has since docked in Crete for repairs. Britain has also added 500 additional air defence personnel to manage the threat. The plan has been developed over the past five weeks in collaboration with the Cypriots, the Americans and the French within the framework of the so-called Cyprus Defence Coordination Centre. “In a crisis, people tend to come together,” Major General Tom Bewick, commander of British Forces in Cyprus, told The Telegraph. He went on to describe the development as “not unthinkable, but extremely remote.” While no one wanted to see war in the Middle East or a drone attack on Akrotiri, the feeling on the ground is that events have focused everyone’s attention. “Adversity creates opportunity and it’s really encouraging how people have seized it,” said Major General Bewick.

Britain’s involvement in the Middle East does not stop in Cyprus, however, as the government is coordinating around 40 efforts to develop a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Despite Mr Trump’s demands for an immediate deployment of forces, it is highly unlikely that the Royal Navy will send ships and other assets to help maintain this critical shipping lane until the two-week truce agreed between the US and Iran becomes more permanent. “Clearing or securing the Strait of Hormuz in the midst of a conflict is extremely difficult, due to a range of underwater autonomous threats, naval mines… and would require a major military operation,” Mr Carns said. Asked if the two-week truce was too short to organise such a mission, the deputy defence secretary said: “It should last longer and we welcome any extension of it,” he said.