The Cypriot president hailed a decision “historical”. The United States will completely lift an arms embargo that has hit the divided Mediterranean island since 1987, provided that Cyprus continues to block access to its ports to Russian warships.
On Friday, September 16, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the lifting of defense trade restrictions. With the end of the embargo, Cyprus must “continue cooperation” with Washington, particularly in “continuing to take the necessary measures to deny Russian military vessels access to ports for refueling and maintenance”State Department spokesman Ned Price said.
Avoid the arms race
Washington had imposed an arms embargo on the whole of Cyprus, after the invasion of the north of the island by the Turkish army in 1974. The invasion had been justified by Ankara, by a coup d’etat by nationalists Cypriots-Greeks who then wished to attach the island to Greece.
The imposition of restrictions by the United States was intended to prevent an arms race and encourage a peaceful settlement between the Greek majority and the Turkish minority. In the eyes of some critics, the measure proved counterproductive. It would have forced Cyprus to seek other partners while Turkey, a member of NATO, maintains troops in the north of the island. The area is controlled by the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, recognized only by Ankara.
US officials were particularly concerned that the embargo would bring Cyprus closer to Russia, Nicosia having signed an agreement with Moscow in 2015 allowing the Russian navy to access its ports. This provision was temporarily suspended with the war in Ukraine, the European Union having closed all its ports to Russian ships as part of the sanctions against Moscow.
Turkish anger
Turkey has “strongly condemned” Washington’s decision. “This decision will negatively affect the efforts for the resolution of the Cyprus issue and will provoke an arms race on the island”the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “With the lifting of the embargo, the Greek Cypriots will obtain attack weapons, reacted for his part by the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Ersin Tatar. This goes beyond the framework of defense (…) and will increase tensions ”.
In December 2019, the US Congress voted to lift the arms embargo to allow the export of military equipment “non-lethal”.