NICOSIA, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Cypriot government on Thursday dismissed claims that the Andreas Papandreou airbase in Paphos would be used as a U.S. military base, emphasizing that ongoing infrastructure upgrades are solely for humanitarian purposes.

A team of U.S. experts visited the airbase on Thursday morning to evaluate the facility and prepare a study for potential modernization. The delegation is expected to submit a proposal outlining the costs of the upgrades and clarify whether the United States will fully or partially fund the project.

Deputy government spokesman Yiannis Antoniou addressed public concerns about the airbase potentially being converted into a U.S. military annex, labeling such claims as unfounded. He explained that the United States had expressed interest in utilizing the facility for evacuation operations during regional crises, similar to past collaborations with European states involving the Evangelos Florakis naval base.

Antoniou reiterated that the upgrades aim to improve the airbase's capacity to support humanitarian missions. "This collaboration is centered on mutual benefit and enhancing Cyprus' defense capabilities," he said.

As a European Union member state in the eastern Mediterranean, Cyprus is pursuing closer ties with the United States to address military supply challenges. However, this initiative has faced criticism from Turkey and left-wing political parties in Cyprus. Enditem.

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