Government spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides told reporters the cabinet made the decision after examining the US request for facilities and bearing in mind the international events and the unfolding political circumstances.

The cabinet also took into consideration an earlier agreement between Cyprus and the United States, under which the island country has granted facilities to the United States, he said.

However, the spokesman said "facilities to allow aircraft to use Cyprus airspace are being granted on condition that civil airspace is not endangered."

In 2001, Cyprus and the United States signed an agreement for the use of the island's airspace, ports and airports by the US military in connection with the war against terrorism.

The United States asked Cyprus to extend the agreement, which included opening up the island's airspace and ports to US use, during the war against Iraq.

The Cypriot government has been opposed to war in Iraq, saying the United States should first get an approval for its military actions against Iraq from the United Nations or the backing of the European Union.

On Wednesday, Cyprus' Defense Minister Kyriakos Mavronicolas said that Cyprus does not wish to become a launch pad during the Iraq war and any facilities offered should be granted only for humanitarian purposes.

(Xinhua News Agency March 20, 2003)