Cyprus-Forum.com

[souroul]

anyone have any details about this? what exactly do both sides want out of this? sounds kinda interesting but all i'm hearing is that they want to use a base in paphos.

[Sotos]

Here is the article:

CYPRUS AND France are close to signing a bilateral military agreement that would involve cooperation in a number of areas, including use by the French of the Andreas Papandreou air base in Paphos.

Technical details are still being worked out between the two governments. The issue was part of discussions held on Sunday between French Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie and President Tassos Papadopoulos when she visited the island with a message from French President Jacques Chirac.

Final details are expected to be worked out by the autumn when the Defence and Foreign Ministers of both countries will likely sign jointly. However the final draft must first be studied by the legal services in both countries in cooperation with their respective foreign ministries.

The military cooperation agreement is set to include use of military facilities, technical support, and education and training of national guardsmen in France.

It could also include joint military exercises, according to an official source close to the talks. “But there is still some technical work to be done before the agreement can be signed,” said the source.

France is keen to have the use of the Paphos air base, although Paris already cooperates with the British bases on the island and works with their naval and special task forces. This cooperation is not however likely to end due to an agreement between France and Cyprus.

It is believed that the use of the Paphos air base in Cyprus is the most critical part of the agreement for France. “What Cyprus has to offer is infrastructure in the vicinity of war zones,” said the source.

Cyprus and France are also close allies and while the invitation to the French to come to an agreement on the use of the air base, it is believed France also wants to deepen its military ties with the island as part of its strategy to develop a strong European military network.

This will be the first such agreement Cyprus will have with another country other than Greece.

Cyprus has cooperated with France in the past on military issues but only on an unofficial and ad hoc basis, such as last week’s use of the Paphos bases by the French military in relation to the crisis in Lebanon.

The agreement to be signed will be a full inter-country deal.

However the deal could be marred by Turkey if Ankara decides to raise objections. Turkey has repeatedly blocked or tried to block any military involvement by Cyprus in international organisations but France is unlikely to bow to Turkish pressure on the issue.

“If Cyprus and France deepen military cooperation someone our there is bound to be unhappy,” said the source.

Ankara’s premise is the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee, in which Turkey, Britain and Greece are guarantors of the island’s independence.

[Svetlana]

...and of course a French company now runs Larnaca and Ppahos airports, perhape they will lend the French airforce a spare runway

Lana

[souroul]

they do? i thought the airports are to be built by CTC, a cypriot company...

[Piratis]

As per the treaty of Guarantee were UK was given the bases, the UK is responsible to protect the sovereignty of RoC. They should also pay rent to RoC for the bases. They did neither.

I believe at some point those bases should be given to Russia, China and France.

[souroul]

china?.. why china?
i would be a bit sceptic about giving one to russia, although we've always had a good relationship with them. france and greece should take one

[rotate]

As per the treaty of Guarantee were UK was given the bases, the UK is responsible to protect the sovereignty of RoC. They should also pay rent to RoC for the bases. They did neither.

I believe at some point those bases should be given to Russia, China and France.

Knock France of that list!
France and Britain have the strongest military links of all the European countries with common user equipment specifications and joint military planning strategies. Dispite the rhetoric of the newspapers and the politicians the 102 year old 'Entente Cordial' between France and Britain remains strong.
France still occupies the island of Corsica, denying the Corsicans the right of self determination, much in the same way as Britain denied Cypriots the same right.

[Sotos]

china?.. why china?

Because they are the next super power?

[Sotos]

A related article

FRANCE will always support and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cyprus, A French Defence Ministry spokesman said.

"This clearly results from what President (Jacques) Chirac stated about the sovereignty of Lebanon which naturally applies also to Cyprus," Col. Patrick Chanliau told The Cyprus Weekly.

The spokesman made the remark to quash any suggestions that Turkish objections might scupper a recently-struck Cyprus-France military cooperation deal.

"There is absolutely no ambiguity over the cooperation between France and Cyprus," said Chanliau.

It also dispelled Ankara’s arguments that the Cyprus government cannot insist on its sovereign rights over the island’s Turkish-occupied northern third.

Chanliau took his cue from President Chirac’s remarks on Lebanon’s offer to deploy 15,000 of its soldiers to the south of the country to enforce an agreement to end fighting between militant Islamic group Hizbullah and Israel.

"There isn’t any free and independent state which does not exert its sovereignty over its entire territory," Chirac said.

Chirac encouraged all those forces who stand for peace, stability and the unity of Lebanon to affirm its sovereignty.

The French President welcomed Beirut’s decision to send its own armed forces to the south. But he also kept open the possibility of setting up an international force to enforce the peace.

"In history, there isn’t any state which didn’t get authority over its entire territory," said Chirac.

[souroul]

you have got to be f-ing kidding me. i read that a while ago and created that other thread with the last sentense, only to see that you've posted it a half hour before.. hehe