The Greek Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence has decided that four F-16 fighter jets currently stationed in Paphos will remain in Cyprus for the immediate future. According to sources from the Greek Ministry of National Defence, the aircraft, which were deployed at the onset of the Persian Gulf military crisis, are scheduled to be replaced by other fighter jets during a subsequent phase of the operation.
Simultaneously, defence officials approved the withdrawal of Patriot missile systems that had been deployed on Karpathos during the same period. The air defence batteries on the island will be replaced by a pair of Mirage 2000-5 fighter aircraft.
Greek Government Spokesman Pavlos Marinakis addressed these adjustments, attributing the removal of the missile systems from Karpathos entirely to operational reasons. Dismissing domestic media reports that characterized the redeployment as a sign of weakness or appeasement, Marinakis stated that the decision followed a thorough operational assessment and took into account the significant time that had elapsed since the initial deployment.
Regarding the military presence in Cyprus, the spokesman emphasized that it represents an entirely different strategic scenario. He explained that the stationing of the fighter jets was a bilateral initiative launched by the Greek government in close co-ordination with the Republic of Cyprus, following direct communication between the Greek Prime Minister and the Cypriot President. Marinakis reiterated that criticisms regarding concessions were completely detached from reality, reinforcing that the military movements were based strictly on tactical recommendations from the defense ministry.
