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President of Cyprus Raises Issue of British Bases at European Council

Published March 19, 2026, 20:22
President of Cyprus Raises Issue of British Bases at European Council

The President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, raised the issue of the British Bases at the European Council, requesting a dialogue with the British government regarding their status after the end of the war in the Middle East. This occurred during his intervention in the discussion on the Middle East crisis, where he informed EU leaders about recent events at the Bases, such as alarms and messages received by residents. President Christodoulides also emphasized the importance of European assistance in achieving progress in the Cyprus issue, highlighting that the EU has the tools to demonstrate the benefits of a solution to Turkey. He expressed his shared desire with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for substantial progress before the end of his term. Furthermore, the President referred to the positive response from some EU member states to Cyprus regarding the crisis in the Bases, which, according to government sources, constitutes an indirect activation of Article 42(7) of the Treaty on solidarity. He also called on the EU to take the initiative to de-escalate the crisis in the Middle East. The intervention of President Christodoulides was supported by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, as well as by the leaders of Greece, Ireland, France, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands and Italy, who expressed solidarity with Cyprus and supported the discussion on the mechanisms for activating Article 42(7).