The European Union ministers’ meeting, scheduled to take place in Cyprus on Monday, was postponed after a drone struck a British military base on the Mediterranean island, Cypriot officials said.

The informal gathering of EU ministers responsible for European affairs was due to take place in Nicosia, as Cyprus holds the bloc’s rotating presidency.

The spokeswoman for the Cypriot EU presidency said in the early hours of Monday that a single unmanned aerial vehicle targeted the British base in Akrotiri, causing limited damage.

“The exact origin of the UAV is currently under verification, but it has been confirmed that the Republic of Cyprus was not the target of an attack,” she added.

The incident disrupted flights to the island, prompting the postponement of the meeting to a later date.

Under the EU’s rotating presidency system, the member state holding the presidency chairs ministerial meetings in Brussels and Luxembourg and frequently hosts additional events at home.

EU leaders are expected to convene in Cyprus for a two-day summit in late April.

(dpa/NAN)