Νicosia rejects Turkish claims that US steps disrupt balance on Cyprus

Nicosia does not perceive any disruption of balance, Government Spokesperson, Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Monday when invited to comment on the reaction of the illegal regime in the Turkish-occupied north and of Turkey regarding the USS San Juan, a US submarine which docked at Limassol port. Statements by the Turkish side said steps taken by the US were disrupting the balance on the island of Cyprus.

Speaking to journalists Letymbiotis said that “there have been similar statements in the past by Turkey, and since the lifting of the arms embargo,” stressing that “what we are focusing on is strengthening relations with the US.”

“There are also recent agreements in the defence sector. We do not consider that there is any disruption of balance. With the foreign policy we follow and defence agreements we undertake, we look forward to tightening cooperation with other countries in the defence sector,” the Spokesperson stated.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops 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.