UK minister visits Cyprus to touch base

British Minister of State for the Armed Forces Mark Lancaster is on a two day visit on the island to help strengthen defence cooperation between his country and the Republic of Cyprus.

“Cyprus is uniquely well-placed as a beacon of stability in the Eastern Mediterranean,” said Lancaster who was reappointed to his position earlier this year.

According to an announcement by the British High Commission, the Minister is expected to underline the deepening defence relationship between the UK and Cyprus and will sign the renewal of the Bilateral Defence Cooperation Programme.

The programme focuses on matters of defence and security and facilitates the sharing of information pertaining to activities to combat terrorism.

It also paves the way for better coordination between the two countries on joint counter-terrorism activities, crisis response, maritime security, search and rescue missions of undocumented migrants.

During his stay, Lancaster will hold bilateral talks with Defence Minister Savvas Angelides.

The UK official will also visit the Sovereign Bases Areas (SBA) to review operations and meet British military personnel on the island, including UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), according to CNA News.

Both ministers are expected to reaffirm their commitment to strengthening their defence partnership in order to address shared defence and security challenges.