The newspaper "I Mahi", under the title "Legal espionage", reports that a representative of the British Foreign Office stated, concerning the information of operation of a telecommunication spy station in Ayios Nicholaos, that whatever is being done is legal, and that the ultimate responsibility lies to the Foreign Minister of the country.

The "Charaygi", under the title "Turmoil against Echelon", reports that the AKEL party has condemned the existence and function of spy stations in the British Bases as a highly important matter that violates the sovereignty of Cyprus, the human rights and the personal lives of the citizens.

The newspaper "Phileleytheros" under the title "Nicosia asks for explanations", writes that Nicosia demands {{Yea right, like here in Cyprus we ever Demand anything from anybody and more importantly we get it. We've been "demanding" for 26 years now…}} explicit explanations from Britain about the operation of a telecommunications spying unit, adding that the Cyprus Government is watching this subject with particular attention, moving on the axis of the "Establishment Treaty" of 1960, which the British are constantly invoking. {{1960 - The independence of Cyprus, the British left the island, leaving a few bases behind, going along to the Establishment Treaty.}} "Phileleytheros" also says that the British, and their Foreign Office, are avoiding the essence of the matter, claiming that matters of this kind cannot be commented.

The Foreign Office spokesman said that "what's going on in the British Bases is okay with the law and is under the responsibility of the secretary of the Foreign Office, Robin Cook". On the other hand, information report that the installation of the system in the Ayios Nicholaos area, Famagusta, was a decision made my Margaret Thatcher herself, when she was Prime Minister of England. According to the same information, Thatcher supported the plans of the US for the development of this global espionage network greatly. As BBC transmitted, Thatcher utilized the network for her own internal political purposes. She had assigned to Michael Frost{{see the Drudge Report - www.drudgereport.com}}, who worked at the Echelon system, the surveillance of the phones, faxes and e-mails of her two ministers.

"Phileleytheros" also says in another article that Echelon, apart from plagiarising e-mails, faxes and telephone conversations, can also steal information through the underwater optical fibre cables. Specifically, it can tap into the cables that connect Europe with Africa and the Middle East. All three of them are passing through Cyprus' seas, and Cyprus Telecommunications Agency, which is part-owned by the Cyprus Government, plays a role in their management. It is also noted that with their official announcement the British Bases, in essence confirm the operation of a spy station in Ayios Nicholaos, Famagusta, as a part of Echelon, reporting that the RAF bases "were always an important technical ring in the global telecommunication corporations", just link the US documents refer to them. The English-Americans also call the espionage centre in Ayios Nicholaos as a "telecommunications relay station". The matter is taking great proportions globally, with reactions of the public building up constantly.

Nicosia, Cyprus, 26/02/2000
http://www.hri.org/news/cyprus/kyptypgr/last/last.html