Turkey will step up its military presence in occupied Cyprus after the US decision to completely lift the arms embargo on the Republic of Cyprus, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in an interview he gave on Wednesday evening to CNN Türk.
The Turkish president called the US government’s decision “inexplicable” both in terms of “its content” and “point in time.”
A few days ago, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced the lifting of the arms embargo on the Republic of Cyprus for fiscal year 2023.
“The United States, which does not notice and even encourages the steps of the Greek Cypriot duo, which threaten peace and stability in the eastern Mediterranean, will lead to an arms race on the island through its actions,” Erdogan said.
“Are we going to sit on our hands? We cannot,” he stressed, adding that Turkey already has 40,000 soldiers on the island and will strengthen its military presence there. “Everyone should know that this last step will not go unanswered and that all precautions will be taken for the security of the Cypriots Turkish,” the Turkish president added.
Source: RES-IPE
Source: Kathimerini
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