1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,720 Speaker 1: Yvan Gray are UK correspondence with US, Hello Gevin either. 2 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:05,880 Speaker 1: So the forces are going to Cypress, are they? 3 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:09,840 Speaker 2: Yes? But some are saying far too little and far 4 00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:12,560 Speaker 2: too late, bearing in mind that most people thought something 5 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:15,560 Speaker 2: was up when America started to move its forces into position. 6 00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:18,200 Speaker 2: The UK is to send a ship, but it's not 7 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:22,640 Speaker 2: likely to be there for several days. Instead, and in 8 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:27,480 Speaker 2: addition to the French and the Greeks are sending protection 9 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:31,639 Speaker 2: to Cypress. Now Cypress, of course within the EU, an 10 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:35,000 Speaker 2: outlier in terms of its geography, never thought that it 11 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:37,760 Speaker 2: was going to get drawn into action on Iran, but 12 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:40,559 Speaker 2: that's exactly what's happened with a number of drone attacks, 13 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:44,239 Speaker 2: particularly on the British raf base on the island. And 14 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 2: now we're in the situation that the UK sending a 15 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:50,760 Speaker 2: Type forty five destroyer with counter drone capabilities, but it's 16 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:54,000 Speaker 2: been in dark along with other ships being mended, and 17 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:56,080 Speaker 2: some are just saying that this is a sign that 18 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 2: the defense forces here in the UK are simply not 19 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 2: up to the job. The French president has confirmed that 20 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:06,039 Speaker 2: a frigate, the Long Dog, will arrive in Cyprus in 21 00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:10,240 Speaker 2: just a short while, and Greece has already agreed to 22 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:14,200 Speaker 2: send four F sixteen fighter jets and two frigates which 23 00:01:14,240 --> 00:01:17,120 Speaker 2: is equipped with an anti drone system that the Greeks 24 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 2: use called Centaurus. So big levels of accusation here that 25 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:24,840 Speaker 2: the UK government has allowed our defense sector and our 26 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 2: defense armed forces to absolutely fall into some kind of disrepair. 27 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:31,440 Speaker 1: And so is there also a repatriation flight out of 28 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:32,200 Speaker 1: the Middle East now? 29 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 2: Yes, So it is estimated three hundred thousand Britons are 30 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 2: in the Gulf. Around one hundred and thirty thousand of 31 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:45,000 Speaker 2: the nearly half have registered with the UK government to 32 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 2: say we are here and we might be interested in 33 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 2: getting out now. Obviously those who were trapped on holiday 34 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 2: are desperate to get home. Those who live out there 35 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 2: as expats probably thinking well, maybe it is time to 36 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 2: go and maybe we're going to stay. But either way, 37 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 2: the UK government has now charted at repatriate and repatriation 38 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:09,040 Speaker 2: flight that is the first specifically arranged by the government. 39 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:13,760 Speaker 2: It's scheduled to leave Oman or Muscat International Airport in 40 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:17,080 Speaker 2: roughly fourteen hours time, and it's going to prioritize the 41 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:20,640 Speaker 2: most vulnerable first, that's British nationals, their spouse and partner 42 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 2: and their children under the age of eighteen will all 43 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:26,200 Speaker 2: be eligible. There are big calls though from others on 44 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 2: social media, British expats saying you need to do more. 45 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:32,800 Speaker 2: We have no information coming through. We need to know 46 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:36,080 Speaker 2: what's going on. Having said that, British Airways has announced 47 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:40,040 Speaker 2: it is going to operate one commercial flight from Muscat today, 48 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 2: and other airlines are said to be looking at restarting 49 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 2: up timetables, but only when the skies are safe to 50 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 2: do so. 51 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:51,720 Speaker 1: Okay, so Trump and his niggle saying to reporters that 52 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:54,360 Speaker 1: Sir Kiostama is no Winston Churchill. Do you think that 53 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 1: will land with Kiirstarma? Is this something that's going to sting. 54 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:01,080 Speaker 2: I think it is. Yes, I think it is. And 55 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:04,359 Speaker 2: I think it's also a sign that perhaps UK US 56 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:07,680 Speaker 2: relations are at the lowest up for some considerable time. 57 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:13,359 Speaker 2: Sekre his decision not to allow American forces to use 58 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 2: British bases to take off, said a god into Trump 59 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:19,519 Speaker 2: that it made the journeys much much longer for their pilots. 60 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:23,520 Speaker 2: He said it was a shocking decision and he said 61 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:26,120 Speaker 2: this is not Winston church Or we're dealing with. He 62 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 2: said he was very surprised and he said it was 63 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:32,239 Speaker 2: not happy with the UK as it led to those 64 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:35,840 Speaker 2: US planes flying many extra hours. Incidentally, it isn't the 65 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 2: UK that's at the bottom of his favorite table at 66 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 2: the moment, Spain as well. Indeed, it's so bad with 67 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 2: Spain that the relationship is sunk to new Lows, saying 68 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 2: that Spain had been terrible, and then suggested that quote, 69 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:52,760 Speaker 2: we're going to cut off all trade. We don't want 70 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:56,800 Speaker 2: anything to do with Spain. Why well, because again Spain 71 00:03:57,200 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 2: wouldn't allow any military basis to be part of the 72 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:03,440 Speaker 2: op operation in Iran. And also the Spanish government has 73 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 2: refused to increase its defense spending to five percent of 74 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 2: gross domestic product, in contrast to many other European countries 75 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 2: that have acquiesced to Donald Trump's demands. 76 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 1: Devin, thank you very much, as always, to talk to 77 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 1: you in a couple of days. Devin Gray are UK corresponding. 78 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 2: For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive. Listen live to 79 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:24,640 Speaker 2: news talks. 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