A scheduled meeting between the Syrian ambassador to Cyprus and officials at the central prisons ended abruptly on Friday after a dispute over security procedures prompted the diplomat to leave the premises.

According to information surrounding the incident, Dr Ammar Awad had arranged to meet deputy prison director Maria Siali to discuss concerns relating to Syrian inmates, following complaints reportedly received by the Syrian embassy regarding detention conditions and treatment within the prison system.

The ambassador arrived at the prison facilities accompanied by an aide and was escorted through security screening by prison staff before entering the correctional institution.

During the initial screening process, security officers discovered that the aide was carrying a service weapon after the metal detectors were activated.

The firearm was subsequently returned to their vehicle after prison authorities explained that weapons were not permitted inside the prison complex.

According to news outlet Reporter, the two men then passed through the security arches for a second time.

When the alarm sounded again, prison officers informed them they would need to undergo a physical search in accordance with prison regulations.

Officials reportedly told them no alternative instructions had been issued by prison management ahead of the meeting.

The ambassador is understood to have considered the procedure offensive and left the premises with his aide before the scheduled meeting took place.

He later sent a letter to Justice Minister Costas Fitiris informing him of the incident and requesting a separate meeting to discuss the issues he had intended to raise with prison authorities.

No official public statement had been issued by prison authorities or the justice ministry regarding the incident by Friday afternoon.