‘DON’T MAKE US A TARGET’
PRESIDENT CALLS FOR ‘COMMON SENSE’ FROM UK AFTER WARPLANES DEPLOYED FROM CYPRUS BASE HELP REPEL IRANIAN ATTACK ON ISRAEL
SENIOR figures from across the political spectrum have raised concerns that the island of Cyprus could become a target following Iran’s unprecedented attack against Israel last weekend.
President Ersin Tatar said “the last thing we want” is a new war as Iran launched a barrage of drones and missiles against Israel last Saturday night, which Tehran said was in response to the April 1 attack on its consulate in Syria.
British fighter jets were reportedly deployed from RAF Akrotiri at the southern tip of Cyprus to help defend Israel.
A statement from the UK’s Ministry of Defence said “several additional” RAF jets and air refuelling tankers have been moved to the Middle East region in response to “increased Iranian threats and the growing risk of escalation”.
The aircraft will bolster “Operation Shader”, the UK’s existing counter-Daesh operation in Iraq and Syria, while the RAF jets will also “intercept any airborne attacks within range of our existing missions, as required” the statement added.
After it emerged that the British bases in Cyprus had been involved in the defence of Israel against Iran, Tatar, speaking at a festival in the village of Mormenekşe on Sunday, said: “We do not want Cyprus to be a target. I call on common sense from the UK so that Cyprus does not become a target. Cyprus is our homeland.”
Later in the day the latest developments in the region were the topic of a “high-level meeting” at the TRNC Presidency.
Speaking ahead of the meeting, Tatar said: “The last thing we want are new tensions and a new war in our fragile region, especially in Gaza, where a human tragedy is currently taking place.”
Attending the gathering were Turkish Ambassador to Lefkoşa Metin Feyzioğlu, Cyprus Turkish Peace Forces Commander Major General Sebahattin Kılınç, Security Forces Commander Major General Osman Aytaç, Deputy Prime Minister Fikri Ataoğlu, Public Works and Transport Minister Erhan Arıklı, Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu, Presidential Undersecretary Okan Donangil and Presidential Special Representative Güneş Onar.
Afterwards, Tatar and Feyzioğlu talked to reporters and sought to give messages of reassurance.
Feyzioğlu, who spoke first, said that people living in the TRNC should be rest assured that Türkiye stands by the TRNC as an “unconditional ally” and is “the guarantee
of peace and tranquillity in the entire region”.
Tatar stated that Türkiye is “the most powerful country in the region” and “always stands by the TRNC and Turkish Cypriot people with all its means”.
“Our people do not need to worry,” he said, noting that developments are being followed “at the highest level” and that “peace and security” are being protected.
‘SERIOUS RISK’
Former foreign minister Prof Kudret Özersay echoed worries that the presence of British bases could pose a threat for Cyprus.
Speaking to Cyprus Today’s Turkish-language sister newspaper Kıbrıs in his capacity as a faculty member of Eastern Mediterranean University’s political science and international relations department, Özersay said: “Firstly, the fact that British bases are located on the island of Cyprus and planes taking off from these bases are involved in these tensions in the Middle East makes Cyprus a target and creates a serious risk in this respect.
“Secondly, the margin of error is high due to geographical proximity. Due to the air defence systems in Syria, a missile fell on Cyprus in previous years. It was said that this missile fell as a result of a mistake but it hit a point very close to residential areas.
“Hundreds of air weapons were used between the two countries last [Saturday] evening. Our location is geographically very close to these spots.
“Thirdly, there is a migration wave issue. The humanitarian crises in these regions are bringing with them a serious wave of migration, South Cyprus is currently being very negatively affected by this.”
Özersay also said that due to the current tensions between Iran and Israel, new travel advice should have been issued to TRNC citizens.
“When the tension between the two countries posed an issue for the citizens of this country, my expectation was that the government and the Foreign Ministry should have issued a travel warning,” he stated.
“No such precautions were taken for TRNC citizens. However, many countries have issued warnings to their citizens in this region or their citizens who are planning to travel to these regions.
“Many people from the TRNC went to the Middle East over the Bayram (Eid) holiday; their airspace was closed in terms of civil aviation. . .When we look at it from this perspective, we have not seen any measures taken in regards to this region.”
Another academic, Near East University’s international relations department head Prof Sait Akşit, said he does not believe that Iran wants to get dragged into a war with Israel but that it is necessary to watch how the Netanyahu government of Israel will react.
If the conflict escalates, it is possible that this could affect the island of Cyprus, he noted.
Akşit, who was also speaking to Kıbrıs, said: “Considering the possibility that any conflict . . . will not be limited to the region, it is impossible for the island of Cyprus and the TRNC not to be affected.
“To put it mildly, the impact of the spread of conflict on the global economy would be quite negative.
“We can also state that a conflict may cause a new wave of immigration and that the island will be vulnerable to attack due to the use of British bases in Cyprus.”
BASES A ‘DISGRACE TO HUMANITY’
Meanwhile a political party has slammed the use of Cyprus as a base for British forces.
In a hard-hitting statement, Independence Path foreign relations secretary Salih Hayaloğlu said it is “unacceptable” for the UK to use the island as a “regional aircraft carrier of imperialism”.
“The British bases in Cyprus are a disgrace to humanity,” he said. “As long as Cyprus, which is being drawn into a regional war that is escalating with each passing day, continues to be used as a military base, it will continue to be a target and the island’s people will continue to be put in critical danger against a possible attack.”