Cyprus is ready to allow Russia to use the airbase "Andreas Papandreou"
Control of Cyprus has decided to allow Russia to use military base name of Andreas Papandreou near the metropolis of Paphos and to open the port of Limassol for ships of the Navy of the Russian Federation, tells the Cyprus Weekly.
According to the intention, represented by the Minister of defence of Cyprus by Fotis fotiu and agreed with Ministry of Foreign powers, in the first step, the use of "Andreas Papandreou" will be slashed by aircraft for humanitarian and emergency situations, and domestic military aircraft while also not allowed to use the resources of this database, the newspaper said citing informants.
Officially, neither in Nicosia, neither in Moscow did not confirm these data.
Last fall Cypriot press lot wrote that the management powers were between 2 fires in consequence of the intentions of Russia to lease the base of "Andreas Papandreou and the categorical protest of the United States on this issue. Any decision towards a global power in this situation may deprive the Cyprus political and financial assistance to the other, said local media.
That Moscow turned to Nicosia with a request to rent the air base "Andreas Papandreou in Paphos, in order to strengthen its influence in the strategically relevant Mediterranean, became known in early June last year after the negotiations the heads of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus Ioannis Kasoulides with domestic employee, Sergei Lavrov, in St. Petersburg. With real data Cypriot press, Nicosia already answered that can give consent to the use of military facilities, but the request for lease of the specified airbase will be difficult to meet.
Washington, having learned about the intention of Moscow, immediately declared a management of Cyprus that the United States strongly against. Russia at that time could have already own military ships to refuel at the port of Limassol, and the air base in Paphos would give Moscow a solid powers in the Eastern Mediterranean, noted the press.
In late November of last year the head of the defense Ministry of Cyprus Fotis fotiu claimed that his country will take the right decision, taking into national interests". Previously, in early June Fotiu claimed reporters that Cyprus is ready to give its own air force base in the city Paphos for domestic military aircraft. At the same time, he categorically rejected the assumption that it can be created in exchange for an easing of the credit for 2,5 billion euros of Cyprus to the Russian Federation in 2011.
In Moscow officially not explain this very difficult and slippery topic, but unofficially denied enthusiasm for Cypriot military base - that the Russian Federation is in the region of troops that this Foundation has promised to cover. Currently, Russia has in the Mediterranean only item of material and technical supply of the Navy in the Syrian port of Tartus. With all of this, Moscow has repeatedly argued that the Russian Navy will be present in the Mediterranean sea on a permanent basis.
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