Turkey condemns US decision on Cyprus arms embargo
Turkey’s foreign ministry said on Saturday it strongly condemned the expansion of a decision taken by the United States in September 2020 to lift its arms embargo on Cyprus.
The US State Department said on Friday that Secretary of State Antony Blinken had lifted defense trade restrictions for Cyprus for the fiscal year 2023.
For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
The Turkish foreign ministry said this decision would “further strengthen the Greek Cypriot side’s intransigence and negatively affect efforts to resettle the Cyprus issue.”
“It will lead to an arms race on the Island, harming peace and stability in the eastern Mediterranean,” the statement said, calling on the United States to reconsider its decision and to pursue a balanced policy towards the two sides on the island.
Cyprus was split in a 1974 Turkish invasion triggered by a brief Greek-inspired coup. Since then, Cyprus has been run by a Greek Cypriot administration in the south that Ankara does not recognize.
Turkey recognizes the breakaway Turkish state in the north of the divided island.
Read more:
Greece denies Turkey claims over six migrants killed at sea
Turkey’s Erdogan blames Armenia for clashes with Azerbaijan
Greek PM Mitsotakis wants to keep channels with Turkey open despite Erdogan comments
