Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides has called for a frank review of the UK’s two sovereign military bases on the island, saying their presence is a legacy of colonial rule and needs to be discussed once tensions in the Middle East ease.
The bases at Akrotiri and Dhekelia were established under the 1960 treaty that granted Cyprus independence, with Britain retaining sovereignty over roughly 98 square miles (254 sq km).
They are a major local employer, with more than 10,000 Cypriot staff working there.
Tensions rose this month after drones struck Akrotiri, punching a hole in an aircraft hangar believed to be used by US surveillance planes.
Two other drones were intercepted, and the devices are thought to have been launched from Lebanon or Iraq.
The attack prompted the UK to dispatch a naval destroyer to the eastern Mediterranean and to bolster defences on the island.
London says the bases help protect British citizens and allies across the region and has been adding radar, counter-drone systems, F-35 jets, ground-based air defences and extra personnel since January.
UK ministers and military officials have stressed the installations were not used for offensive operations against Iran.
Britain’s Europe Minister said jets from Cyprus had been conducting regular defensive missions with allied forces.
Christodoulides noted the human and political sensitivities involved, pointing to the number of Cypriots employed at the bases and the complex legal arrangements that bind the UK, Greece, Turkey and both Cypriot communities.
He declined to enter into public negotiations about their future at this stage.
Opinion in Cyprus is divided.
Some residents told reporters the bases make the island a target and should be removed, while others said the presence of a powerful ally provides security they would struggle to achieve alone.
London has also highlighted NATO and European support for its strengthened posture, with allied warships and additional assets arriving in the area to reinforce regional defences.
Any formal talks on the bases' status are likely to be complicated and prolonged, given the historic agreements and multiple stakeholders involved.
For now, both sides appear focused on security measures while keeping the door open to future discussions.
