Bases deny chemical weapons claim

THE BRITISH bases yesterday denied reports that they had been bringing in chemical weapons through Akrotiri.

Several newspapers yesterday reported an increase in movement at RAF Akrotiri, including more personnel and equipment.

Containers carrying chemical weapons of an unknown origin and destination were also spotted, the papers claimed, causing concern to residents and local staff on the bases..
In statements to Limassol reporters yesterday, a bases spokesman said that no chemical weapons had been brought into the bases, only equipment to deal with any chemical leakages, which was destined for the bases fire brigade.

The bases also announced yesterday that they would be conducting a major incident training exercise on the Western Sovereign Base Area from Friday until Sunday.
A statement said that the exercise formed part of a prearranged training programme for testing Major Incident Contingency Plans. “It is a necessary and important test of our contingency plan and provides valuable training and experience for all participants,” the statement said.

The exercise will involve police and troops from the bases, and the authorities there warned that there might be a visible increase in police and military activity. “However, members of the public are reassured that during the exercise they will not experience any reduction in the quality of service provided by police,” the statement added.

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.