CENTRE FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES - CYPRUS IS NOT IN THE HIGH RISK ZONE - MILITARY POWER IN THE REGION HAS CHANGED - Filenews 3/3
The military forces in the region have changed both qualitatively and numerically, mainly due to the presence of the Americans and the support they receive from allied or other forces, said the defense expert and head of the Center for Strategic Studies, Aristos Aristotelous, noting that the entire Middle East region has entered a new phase, more dangerous than before.
Iran, he noted in his statements to KYPE, seems to have the stamina and can respond, saying that it does not consider Cyprus to be in a high-risk zone, but on the other hand "you cannot rule out anything" referring to the drone that hit the Akrotiri base and noting that the immediate target is the British bases, which have been used in the past by the US, not territory of the Republic of Cyprus.
Mr. Aristotelous believes that based on this incident at the Akrotiri base, an early warning system for the population for any type of threat should be in place, which in order to function properly there must also be a military early warning system for a military threat from the air.
Asked if the presence of military reinforcement from Greece, perhaps France and other allied countries, strengthens the military power of Cyprus, Mr. Aristotelous said that the military presence they will send here will not drastically change the power that exists in the region, given that they will not be involved in the theater of war. "It can be a reinforcement in the defense of Cyprus, it can be a security measure but we are not at a high risk level. It can contribute to the psychology of the people and the government," he said.
When asked if air defense or missile systems are more important, Aristos Aristotelous said that it is a combination and Cyprus must take several measures to create a truly effective air defense system. "Note, however, that there is no perfect air defense system, but it is substantially improved and better protection conditions are created," he said. Some systems that have been acquired recently, he added, help but must be integrated into an integrated air defense system and there must be a command and control center that controls and distributes responsibilities.
CNA
