By SYLVIE CORBET and MENELAOS HADJICOSTIS, PAPHOS, Cyprus (AP):- French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday pledged to defend Cyprus and dispatch additional warships to the Eastern Mediterranean to strengthen allies’ security in the region unsettled by the Iran war.
Macron said he was visiting Cyprus primarily to show solidarity with the country, where a Shahed drone struck a British air base on the southern coast last week. It was the first drone attack of the war on European territory.
“When Cyprus is attacked, it is Europe that is attacked,” Macron said after talks with his Cypriot counterpart Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at Cyprus’ main air base near the southwestern town of Paphos. “We are bound to one another by strategic partnerships.”
Macron had ordered the French frigate Languedoc to waters off Cyprus, a fellow European Union member, to bolster its anti-drone and anti-missile defenses. Last week, France also sent ground-based anti-drone and anti-missile defenses.
Greece has dispatched four F-16 fighter planes to the Paphos air base, and its frigates Kimon and Psara are already patrolling off Cyprus, tasked with intercepting any missiles or drones.
Macron hails ‘unprecedented’ show of strength
Macron said he would deploy eight warships, two helicopter carriers and the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, equipped with its 20 Rafale fighter jets, to the Eastern Mediterranean and the wider Middle East, calling France’s move “unprecedented.” Cyprus and France signed a new strategic partnership in December.
He briefly visited the French aircraft carrier off Crete, Greece.
Macron also pointed to a French-led initiative in the works that will involve European and non-European nations helping to escort oil and gas tankers with the aim of gradually reopening the Strait of Hormuz off Iran “as soon as possible after the most intense phase of the conflict is over.”
Cyprus’ leader, Christodoulides, noted: “Our countries have the common belief that the European Union must engage more actively, more strategically and more coherently with the wider region as part of a comprehensive approach.”
The Greek prime minister stressed that any action is purely defensive in posture, adding that “we’re not going to accept any part of European territory, like Cyprus, to be exposed to the slightest danger.”
EU leaders seek to contain Middle East conflict
Macron has been involved in diplomatic talks seeking to avoid further escalation in the Middle East. On Sunday, he spoke to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and urged him to stop strikes.
Christodoulides has underscored that Cyprus won’t take part in any military operation and remains focused on its regional humanitarian role that includes a maritime corridor sending aid to Gaza via the Israeli port of Ashdod.
The Shahed drone on March 2 caused minor damage to a hangar at the RAF Akrotiri air base. No one was injured. Another two drones were intercepted by British Typhoon and F-35 warplanes that were scrambled from the air base shortly later that day.
Cyprus officials confirmed last week that the Shahed originated from Lebanon and believe that it was launched by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group. Hezbollah’s arsenal includes exploding drones, similar to the ones used by Iran.
Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji on Sunday condemned the drone attack, adding: “I called on our Cypriot friends not to confuse the Lebanese state with those acting outside its authority and legal framework.”
The Lebanese government has ordered its security agencies to crack down on non-state groups carrying out attacks.
Macron said France is expending diplomatic capital to ensure a return to calm and to allow for the Lebanese armed forces to assert themselves as Israel pounds Hezbollah positions.
“Our goal is simple, Hezbollah must cease all strikes from Lebanese territory, because it is putting all Lebanese people in danger,” Macron said, and urged Israel to cease its strikes in Lebanon.
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Hadjicostis reported from Nicosia, Cyprus. Kareem Chehayeb contributed to this report from Beirut.