Defence Min. Cooperates with British Bases On Obsolete Arms

Defence Minister Demetris Eliades has thanked High Commissioner Matthew Kidd for the cooperation with British explosives experts who helped destroy National Guard obsolete munitions.

In the aftermath of the deadly explosion at Mari naval base, the government was heavily criticised for not accepting help from foreign experts and it appears that Eliades is taking steps to correct the mistake.

After the meeting, Eliades said there was a possibility of cooperation between the UK and Cyprus defence ministries on issues of common interest. In response, Kidd said he looks forward to cooperation between the two countries on defence and security issues.

During the meeting, Eliades touched on another hot issue - that of natural gas exploration in Cyprus' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The minister said the government has its sovereign rights to explore for undersea hydrocarbons and that Turkey should cooperate to solve the Cyprus problem so that all Cypriots can enjoy the country's wealth in natural resources.

The UK recognises Cyprus' sovereignty and right to explore for its natural resouces, said Kidd.

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