After 35 years, and at a time when relations with Turkey are at a critical juncture, the US has decided to lift the arms embargo on Cyprus
Washington’s choice of time to announce the lifting of the embargo on the sale of American weapons to the Republic of Cyprus is considered to be of substantial diplomatic value, on a double level. A decision that has been pending for 35 years and… touches even Moscow, at a time when Vladimir Putin decided on partial conscription, changing the facts on the war front.
The State Department’s decision, in the midst of a new round of tension in the Eastern Mediterranean and daily threats from Turkey, is perceived, initially, as an indirect message that Washington is moving to strengthen and not undermine stability in the region.
“The decision to completely lift the arms embargo is a step that reflects the ever-increasing importance that American foreign policy attaches to relations with Cyprus and the role that the latter plays at the regional level,” the executive director of the Hellenic-American Leadership Council points out in (HALC), Eddie Zemenidis, who maintains very close relations with Senator Robert Menendez, the so-called “orchestrator”, as well as being behind every decision taken by Congress on issues concerning Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean.
According to him, in the eyes of America’s strategic analysts, Cyprus is more important than ever before and the statement made by Joe Biden as US Vice President, in 2014, during his visit to the island, is now undisputed, that “Cyprus is strategic partner of the United States”.
“In the past, Cyprus could not say this. Today, however, it can” observes Mr. Zemenidis, giving credit to the government of Nikos Anastasiadis, as well as to the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Christodoulidis, who undertook important initiatives during his tenure.
“When Nicos Anastasiades was elected for the first time, the first issue he raised in his speech was the economy and the second was that he wanted to include Cyprus in the Partnership for Peace of NATO. Since those days, Cyprus has changed a lot,” he emphasizes, also focusing on the role of Greece. “The fact that Athens has shown itself to be not only an ally and a pillar of stability, but the most reliable and the most capable ally in the region, is of great importance.”
At the same time, the lifting of the arms embargo sends a clear message to Turkey that American foreign policy knows, understands and shows in the most graphic way who is creating problems in the Eastern Mediterranean. According to Mr. Zemenidis, the defense agreement signed by Athens and Washington about a year ago, as well as the US actions in Souda and Alexandroupolis, send a similar message.
“Washington will never again let Turkey hold it hostage, as it did for years with Incirlik. After what happened in 2016, when the Turks surrounded Incirlik as if the US military were the enemy, generals and analysts on the other side of the Atlantic say they cannot find themselves in the same position again, declaring that they cannot rely on a ally that proves that he is not reliable”.
At this point it is worth pointing out that the American announcement came immediately after the appearance of President Erdogan – as an interlocutor – at the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization held in Uzbekistan. An organization whose founding members are Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, and now includes India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Iran, while a possible application for membership by Turkey is not excluded. Political analysts linked the US moves to the relationship Turkey has developed with Russia in the defense, energy and economic sectors, as well as to the personal political relationship that Recep Tayyip Erdogan has with Vladimir Putin.
The image of the Turkish president – as the sole leader of a NATO country – negotiating with almost the entire anti-American rally could not be tolerated by Washington, which probably sought a move-response that would embarrass Ankara, opera and evento .
“The statements and announcements on behalf of Ankara are reminiscent of the reaction to the signing of the Athens-Washington defense agreement. Turkey sees that the USA is saying that “just as you are trying to get an independent foreign policy that is neither Western nor Eastern, so we will have an independent defense policy with our reliable allies”, observes Mr. Zemenidis.
The announcement of the State Department states, among other things, that conditions for the annual renewal of the possibility of exporting arms to the Republic of Cyprus are:
a) The Government of the Republic of Cyprus to continue to cooperate with the Government of the United States in efforts to implement reforms related to anti-money laundering regulations and financial regulatory oversight
b) The government of the Republic of Cyprus has taken and continues to take the necessary measures to deny access to the ports of Russian warships for supply and servicing.
In other words, the message also “touches” Moscow, which for years maintained a special relationship with Cyprus, where significant Russian funds were invested, while the cooperation between the two countries was particularly close in the tourism sector. A… symbiosis that had brought considerable economic benefits to Cyprus despite occasional accusations of compromises with the Russian oligarchs.
Here, then, a new bet emerges for the Cypriot leadership: if it wishes to gradually reverse this situation and cut itself off from any Russian influence.
As Mr. Zemenidis argues, since 2014 and the developments in Crimea, Cyprus has followed the “line” of the West, as is also the case today after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. “The US recognizes this fact, because they know the cost that Cyprus has paid in terms of energy and tourism.”
And on the other hand, according to him, it is a golden opportunity for Washington to ensure the western direction of Cyprus. This, in fact, is reflected in the choice of Julie Fisher as the American ambassador. “This is a decision reminiscent of the case of Jeffrey Pyatt from Ukraine to Greece, when the US recognized that it was an opportunity to send a first-class ambassador to upgrade bilateral relations.”
