The National Federation of Cypriots in the UK met Britain’s Europe Minister on Tuesday to press for stronger security guarantees following the drone attack on RAF Akrotiri on 1 March, according to a press release issued by the Federation.
Federation President Christos Karaolis and Vice President Michalis Ellinas met Minister for Europe Stephen Doughty MP in London, opening the meeting with an unequivocal condemnation of the attack. According to the Federation, they told the minister that residents of the Sovereign Base Areas had been particularly alarmed by the incident and sought assurances that base authorities were taking all necessary precautions in close coordination with the Cypriot government.
Doughty reaffirmed that the safety of all Cypriots was a top priority for the UK government, the Federation said. He confirmed that anti-missile and counter-drone capabilities had been reinforced both before and after the attack, including through the deployment of HMS Dragon and additional Wildcat and Merlin helicopters. Steps were also being taken to improve real-time information sharing with residents in the Base Areas, according to the Federation’s account of the meeting.
The Federation officers stressed the importance of deepening security coordination between the UK and the Republic of Cyprus, arguing that stability in Cyprus and the broader Eastern Mediterranean was of critical importance. Doughty said enhanced defence and security collaboration formed a central pillar of the UK-Cyprus strategic dialogue and that engagement was ongoing at the highest levels, including through the recent visit of the Defence Secretary to Cyprus, the Federation said.
The minister also confirmed that the Foreign Office was not currently advising against travel to Cyprus, while urging British nationals to continue monitoring travel advice for countries across the region.
“We were reassured by the Minister that the UK government is taking all necessary measures to safeguard Cyprus and all the people on the island,” Karaolis said in a statement issued by the Federation after the meeting. “The Federation will remain in close contact with the UK Government and Minister Doughty to ensure that the concerns of our community continue to be heard.”
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