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In a year, some of the US arms restrictions on Cyprus will end, the foreign minister announced, and the sale of “non-lethal” military goods to the island nation will be allowed.
Following a Greek-backed military coup in Cyprus in 1974, Turkey invaded the northern part of the island. Since then, Cyprus has been divided into a southern Greek Cypriot part and a Turkish Cypriot part in the north. The Turkish Cypriot side is only recognized by Turkey, so the southern government formally represents the entire country.
In 1987, Washington imposed gun restrictions on Cyprus to promote reunification work and prevent redevelopment of the island.
Gas finds in the area
“Cyprus is an important partner in the Eastern Mediterranean. I am pleased to announce that we are deepening our security cooperation,” Pompeo writes on Twitter. Starting October 1, for one year, it will be allowed to supply Cyprus with “non-lethal” military goods and assist in “defense operations”.
The decision comes as tensions in the eastern Mediterranean between NATO countries Turkey and Greece have escalated due to recently discovered gas discoveries in the area.
“Necessary measures”
Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades wrote on Twitter after a phone conversation with Pompeo thanking him for the decision. While the Turkish Foreign Ministry says that the new US position does not take into account the balance on the island and that Ankara demands that the decision be re-evaluated.
“Otherwise, as a guarantee country, Turkey will respond with the necessary measures in accordance with its legal and historical responsibility to guarantee the safety of the Turkish Cypriot people,” it said in a statement.
Both Ankara and Athens say they are willing to resolve the dispute through dialogue, but have shown no willingness to compromise and both countries have held military exercises in the region.
Turkey and Greece have been arguing for decades about the demarcation of the Mediterranean. Much of the tension dates back to their dispute over Cyprus.
Following a Greek-backed military coup on the island in 1974, Turkey invaded the north. Since then, Cyprus has been divided into a southern Greek Cypriot part and a Turkish Cypriot part in the north. The Turkish Cypriot side is only recognized by Turkey, so the southern government formally represents the entire country.
In recent years, large gas reserves have been discovered offshore Cyprus. It has gotten the Cypriot government, Greece, Israel and Egypt to work together to make the most of resources. As part of that agreement, there is a plan for a 200 km long gas pipeline that will be able to transport gas from the eastern Mediterranean to Europe, and from which Turkey has been left out.
Last year, Turkey increased its drilling offshore west of Cyprus. Turkey has always argued that the resources of the divided island should be shared and seeks to protect its own interests and those of the Turkish Cypriots in the gas deposits.
Tensions escalated further in November last year when Turkey and Libya’s internationally recognized government signed an agreement on a maritime border, which gives Ankara the right to seek and drill for oil and gas in a large area of the Mediterranean. But the border, which runs near the Greek island of Crete, runs through an area claimed by both Greece and Cyprus. Turkey claims that the agreement is fully in line with international law, which has been rejected by experts.
Sources: BBC, Landguiden / UI
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