The US is soon to begin lifting a decades-old arms embargo on Cyprus. Washington acknowledges [South] Cyprus’ contribution to bolstering regional stability and security, Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides said on Friday.
He said that the US could see the “added value” of permitting [South] Cyprus to purchase military equipment that would boost its capabilities to keep the region secure.
The embargo was imposed in 1987 with the aim of preventing an arms build-up that would impede diplomatic efforts to reunify divided Cyprus.
Christodoulides said the process to lift the embargo has been set in motion at the US Congress, reflecting a “positive shift” in that Washington no longer views Cyprus only as an unsettled conflict of ethnic division.
“This is proof, if you like, of the recognition by the US administration of the positive role that Cyprus plays as a pillar of stability and security in the broader region,” Christodoulides told The Associated Press.
Abc4.com