Minister for the Armed Forces meets troops stationed in Cyprus

Air March 9, 2020

James Heappey, Minister for the Armed Forces, visited troops stationed in Cyprus and the Cypriot Defence Minister during a three-day visit.

James Heappey spoke with troops stationed at the Cyprus Sovereign Base Area (SBA) and Defence Minister Savvas Angelides. In discussions with Mr Angelides, the Minister for the Armed Forces reaffirmed defence ties between the UK and Cyprus.

The two nations have existing defence links, strengthened in recent years by increased military co-operation and several large-scale joint exercises. The Minister also met personnel from the Regional Standby Battalion the 1st Battalion The Prince Of Wales’s Royal Regiment who are at short notice readiness to deploy anywhere in the region.

James Heappey, Minister for the Armed Forces, said: “Our bases in Cyprus are an invaluable security asset across an array of arenas. They provide us with a platform for our RAF jets to destroy Daesh, give us an ability to respond to threats in the region, to contribute to UN peacekeeping and to combat the barbaric bird trapping trade.”

“Yet our bases are only as strong as the people operating them. And it is the expertise, skill and commitment of our Armed Forces here in Cyprus that helps to keep us safe and secure in the UK.”

On a smaller scale but similarly successful is the British Forces Cyprus (BFC) work to combat the illegal practice of bird-trapping. Alongside the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and environmental organisation Birdlife Cyprus, SBA Police have helped to drastically reduce the number of birds being illegally killed in the area.

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