The UK's two military bases on Cyprus are a colonial consequence on the island, and talks on their status and future need to take place, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides has told the BBC.
When the situation is over in the Middle East we are going to have an open and frank discussion with the British government, he said as he arrived for an EU leaders' summit in Brussels.
Under the 1960 treaty establishing Cypriot independence from Britain, the UK was given sovereignty of bases at Akrotiri and Dhekelia.
However, RAF Akrotiri was targeted by drones this month shortly after the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran, and the UK has faced some criticism for its response to the attack.
The drones are thought to have been fired from Lebanon by an Iranian-backed group, Hezbollah, and protesters have complained that the British bases on the island have made Cyprus a target.
Two of the drones were intercepted, but a third hit Akrotiri causing minimal damage. A British naval frigate dispatched in response to the drone strike is on its way to the island.
The two sovereign bases in the south and southeast of Cyprus have not been used for US operations against Iran, although the UK has since granted the US permission to use them for specific defensive operations.
Akrotiri and Dhekelia make up 98 sq miles (254 sq km) of Cyprus and are a significant source of employment.
We have more than 10,000 Cypriot citizens within the British bases. We have responsibility for those people, Christodoulides stated.
He emphasized that he wouldn't negotiate publicly about the bases' future. In response to his comments, UK Defence Secretary John Healey highlighted the close cooperation between the two nations, referencing a recent communication from the head of the Cypriot National Guard.
In light of the attack on Akrotiri, the UK has increased its military presence in the region, with various NATO allies supporting Cyprus through military cooperation.
