March 20, 2003	Thursday	Muharram 16, 1424

NICOSIA, March 19: The United States has asked for access to Cypriot airports and airspace, a senior Cyprus government official said on Wednesday.

The east Mediterranean island, which lies just south of Turkey, already has an agreement with Washington for use of facilities relating to the US-led “fight against terror”.

The US wants to broaden the scope of this accord to cover Iraq-related operations.

“The request was made for blanket use of facilities ... for Iraqi contingencies,” Foreign Minister George Iakovou told reporters.

Cyprus, a candidate for European Union membership, was due to issue its response after a cabinet meeting on Thursday, but officials appeared to rule out the possibility of allowing the US to use facilities for purposes directly related to an Iraqi offensive.

“It would be for purely humanitarian reasons,” said Defence Minister Koullis Mavronicolas.

“That means there would be no role for Cyprus’s ports or airports in the event of a war,” he told reporters.

Under the existing agreement dating from 2001, US aircraft can use refuelling facilities at Larnaca and Paphos airports and its vessels can freely dock at the island’s ports.

Britain is allowed unrestricted use of Cypriot airspace under a 1959 treaty.—Reuters