By Bouli Hadjioannou
THE GOVERNMENT, rejecting Turkish threats over the Paphos air base, said yesterday that Cyprus had every right to defend itself.
Spokesman Manolis Christofides said Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash and Turkish officials were making threats just because Cyprus was boosting its defence.
And he said the decision on whether Greek air force planes would be permanently stationed in Paphos would be taken by the governments of Greece and Cyprus, according to defence requirements.
On Saturday, Turkey described the opening of the Paphos air base as a “dangerous development” and said it would complain to the UN Security Council.
Cyprus Foreign Minister Yiannakis Cassoulides responded that Turkey was welcome to complain, but it would also have to account for its military presence in occupied northern Cyprus.
“The military base was made in response to the presence of the Turkish army and will only be used in case Turkey attacks Cyprus,” Cassoulides said.
For his part Denktash has told Turkish Cypriot media it would be madness for the Greek-Cypriots to attempt to hurt the Turkish Cypriots.
“Planes taking off from the Paphos air base would not find a place to land. If their planes flew towards us, they would find Turkish war planes facing them and not in five minutes. Steps have been taken so that they will be met immediately. They should keep this in mind,” he said.
Asked to comment yesterday, Christofides said Cyprus had the right to defend itself.
“Turkey has brought tanks and other unprecedented military armaments to the island. We have a duty to take basic measures for our defence. The joint defence dogma with Greece is our answer. Through it we will face all Turkish threats whatever they may be, wherever they may come from. It is the common position of Cyprus and Greece.”
The Paphos base – due to take the name of the late Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou – was formally handed over to the authorities by its contractors on Saturday. It will be used by Greek air force planes under the joint defence pact with Greece.
Christofides yesterday confirmed the base would be given the name of the late Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou in tribute to the politician who contributed so substantially to the establishment of the defence dogma. It will be officially opened in March in the presence of the Greek Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos, he added.
But the base is not a Greek, but a Cypriot base, he clarified. “It was built for the defence needs of Cyprus and to give facilities to those powers who under agreements have an obligation to protect the integrity and independence of the Republic of Cyprus,” he said.
Asked whether Greek fighter jets would be stationed there permanently, Christofides said that decision would be taken by the governments of Greece and Cyprus according to defence needs. “If the situation which prevails dictates their permanent presence, they will be permanently stationed,” he said.
For its part, Ankara’s Turkish Daily News yesterday quoted a Turkish Foreign Ministry official as saying that the opening of the base confirmed that Greece did not expect Greco-Turkish differences to be resolved through diplomatic means.
“From now on, it is up to the military to decide what to do. It has become a matter of military planning,” the official was quoted as telling the paper.
