A British MP with a large Cypriot constituency has said he raised concerns about the drone attack on RAF Akrotiri directly with the UK’s Europe Minister, after receiving a wave of worried enquiries from constituents about the safety of Cyprus and the broader Eastern Mediterranean.
Bambos Charalambous, Member of Parliament for Southgate and Wood Green, said in a written statement that he met Stephen Doughty MP, Minister for Europe, to discuss UK-Cyprus cooperation amid the evolving regional conflict. He said he had been assured that keeping Cyprus, active British personnel, their families and British nationals safe was the UK government’s “utmost priority.”
The Labour Party MP said the UK government was in constant contact with President Christodoulides and senior Cypriot officials to coordinate the defensive response. He welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement that Britain was bolstering its defence capabilities in the wake of the Akrotiri attack, noting that Wildcat helicopters were already deployed in Cyprus and that the destroyer HMS Dragon was expected to arrive shortly.
The MP also said he welcomed the presence of allied naval and air force assets from Greece, France, Italy, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands in Cyprus.
On the question of travel, Charalambous said flights were continuing to operate normally from Paphos and Larnaca airports, and that British nationals in Cyprus had been advised by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to follow the instructions of local authorities.
“I want to reassure the community that I have raised your concerns at the highest levels,” Charalambous said in the statement, adding that his office stood ready to support any constituents in Cyprus or the wider region should the situation change.
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