The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus on Monday issued a press release in regards with a news story published in daily newspaper “Phileleftheros“ on Sunday (20/8) which claimed that the US have joined forces with the British government in laying underwater cables off Cyprus with the sole purpose of monitoring movements in the Eastern Mediterranean sea.
Reports in “Phileleftheros“ claim that the underwater fibre-optic cables, that aim to monitor underwater movement and movement on the water surface, essentially meander off the southern coast of Cyprus and plug into the Sovereign Base Area (SBA) of Akrotiri where the data is collected and processed.
According to the press release by the Cyprus Ministry, the agreement between the Government of the Republic of Cyprus and the Government of the United States, which was approved by the Council of Ministers, is in the framework of the Strategic Cooperation between Cyprus and the US in the field of security and, in particular, in the fight against terrorism which also includes the strengthening of international disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
The agreement, the Ministry says, provides for a seismic-hydro-acoustic system to be used in the framework of efforts to strengthen the capabilities of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTCTO) .
The Republic of Cyprus, the Foreign Ministry says, will receive data from the system, which will be used to monitor the seismicity of the wider area of Cyprus for the purpose of early warning of earthquakes and tsunamis, to protect Cypriot citizens and the region as a whole.
Data obtained from the system , is added in the press release, may be given to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization. This will be the practical support and contribution to the fulfilment of the objectives of the Treaty, of which the Republic of Cyprus is a party.
The Ministry also points out that the Republic of Cyprus has taken all appropriate steps and has taken all necessary measures to safeguard its sovereign rights and to fulfil its obligations as included in the Treaty on the Law of the Sea and the international law.
