THE government said yesterday it was closely watching developments at the British bases, which are reportedly gearing up for a possible US-led war on Iraq early in the New Year.
Government Spokesman Michalis Papapetrou said developments on the island and in the greater region were being “monitored very carefully”, following reports that the bases had been put on high alert.
Bases spokesman Tony Brumwell told the Cyprus News Agency yesterday that there was no increased alert and that everything was “completely normal”. However, he admitted that some precautionary measures were under way in case of a conflict.
Brumwell said the Bases had on Sunday received supplies of vehicles, vehicle trailers and some ammunition, which would be stored for the time being.
“At the moment, there are going to be stored, we can’t say whether there will be used for training, operations or not at all”, Brumwell said.
He said that a British High Commission spokesman had notified the Cyprus Ministry of Defence about the arrival of these supplies, “out of courtesy”.
Brumwell rubbished press reports that the Bases had increased the number of fighter planes and helicopters on site.
“We couldn’t hide a build up of aircraft like that,” he said.
“There is only one aircraft at Akrotiri at the moment.”
Asked about the role of the Bases in a possible attack against Iraq, Brumwell said, “no decision has been taken to make any sort of attack” against Iraq, adding that the Bases had not so far been told by the British government to prepare for any specific role.
“So what we got to do is begin to plan what that role might be. The role could be very diverse, it could be supporting operations, it could be logistics”, Brumwell said.
“We are doing this planning, we take some precaution, in case we are asked.”
The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.
