We must bolster Cyprus’ ability to defend itself amid Turkey’s ongoing & illegal occupation of the north, U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Senator Bob Menendez has stated.
In a post on his twitter account, on Saturday, Menendez said that he is pleased to see that the US administration certified Cyprus’ eligibility for the export of defense articles.
“Pleased to see the Admin certify Cyprus’ eligibility for the export of defense articles. We must bolster Cyprus’ ability to defend itself amid Turkey’s ongoing & illegal occupation of the north” he wrote.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
On Friday, the United States announced that it completely lifts an arms embargo on Cyprus. The State Department’s spokesperson, Ned Price, said that Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken, determined and certified to Congress that the Republic of Cyprus has met the necessary conditions under relevant legislation to allow the approval of exports, re-exports, and transfers of defense articles to the Republic of Cyprus for fiscal year 2023. Compliance with the conditions is assessed on an annual basis, the statement noted.