Britain to retain its two Cyprus military bases

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will retain both its military bases in Cyprus following the completion of a review of their operations, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said on Thursday. He confirmed Britain's "enduring commitment" to the bases, saying they had proved their worth during air operations in Libya and as a logistic hub for activities in Afghanistan. "The sovereign base areas are in a region of geo-political importance and high priority for the United Kingdom's long-term national security interests," he said in a written statement to parliament. ...