By Jean Christou
ANNUAL joint military exercises between Greece and Cyprus got under way yesterday with the participation of some 10,000 Greek Cypriot troops and reservists.
Greek war planes and navy vessels are expected to take part in the six-day exercises, codenamed Nikiforos, which are being staged in conjunction with the Greek Toxotis manoeuvres in the Cyprus-Crete-Rhodes triangle.
Defence Minister Yiannakis Omirou told CyBC radio yesterday that “every aspect” of the newly-built Paphos air base would be tested during the exercises, as would new armaments purchased by the National Guard.
“All installations that will need to be used will be used,” Omirou said.
Tension rose on the island earlier in the year when Greek military planes landed at the controversial base.
The base, completed at the beginning of the year, is part of the joint defence pact signed between Greece and Cyprus in 1993.
The landing of Greek fighter planes in Paphos prompted Turkey to send its own planes and navy vessels to the north of the island in a tit-for-tat manoeuvre.
Omirou said that the aim of the annual Nikiforos exercises was to test the readiness of the island’s weaponry and the National Guard forces and reservists.
He repeated that the Cyprus government’s upgrading of its defence systems would continue until progress has been made on UN-backed political talks to reunite the island as a bizonal, bicommunal federation.
“The message is that the armed forces are ready to defend our country against any threat,” Omirou said.
He said political negotiations are currently at a critical stage, and stressed that the Greek Cypriots only wanted peace and security on the island and in the region.
The government’s order for Russian S-300 surface-to-air missiles for delivery by November has also raised tension on the island in the past 18 months.
Turkey and western countries, including the United States, have voiced strong opposition to the deployment. Ankara says the missiles are a threat to both the Turkish Cypriots and to mainland Turkey.
A new round of UN-led shuttle talks began last Friday with the hope of kick- starting the stalled intercommunal negotiations.
Unficyp chief of mission Dame Ann Hercus has already met President Glafcos Clerides, and she will meet Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash today and Clerides again tomorrow.
