Cyprus is deeply concerned about the potential military threats posed by British bases in Akrotiri, especially as tensions rise in the Middle East. The Cyprus Peace Council is rallying the public to protest this Sunday, urging the government to oppose military operations and champion regional peace and Cypriot neutrality.
The tense standoff at Nicosia Airport in 1974 was averted from a fullscale war between Britain and Turkey by the United Nations intervention, declaring the airport a “United Nations internationally protected area,” and intense diplomatic efforts leading to Turkey withdrawing its threat on July 25, thereby averting the crisis. The conflict at the airport was marked by tragic friendlyfire incidents and chaotic warfare, with the brink of warfare prevented by the bold move of declaring the area a UN protected zone.
