Tuesday 20 September 2022
Efforts to reach a peace agreement in Cyprus will be harmed by the United States’ decision to lift the arms embargo on the Greek Cypriot administration, Turkish Daily Sabah writes.
Turkey has strongly condemned the decision by the US, warning that it would lead to an arms race and undermine regional stability.
President Ersin Tatar issued a statement warning that lifting the arms embargo could also increase tension between NATO member countries – Turkey and Greece.
“As the Greek Cypriot administration is expected to further accelerate its armament efforts and provocative position, we will not remain idle”, he said.
President Tatar added that the US decision proved that the TRNC’s demand that Turkey remain as a guarantor for the Turkish Cypriots was valid.
The US has lifted defence trade restrictions on the Greek Cypriot administration for the 2023 fiscal year, the State Department announced on Friday.
Following which, the TRNC’s Foreign Ministry called the US decision “unacceptable”.