Türkiye condemns US for inclusion of Greek Cyprus in defense partnership program

ANKARA

Türkiye “strongly condemned” the Greek Cypriot’s inclusion in the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program, under the scope of the U.S. Department of Defense.

“From our point of view, the latest move of the U.S., two weeks after lifting the arms embargo on Greek Cyprus Administration, has no justification,” the foreign ministry said in a statement on Oct. 3.

With such moves, the U.S. is losing its opportunity to play a “constructive role for a fair, permanent and sustainable” settlement of the Cyprus issue, read the statement.

“With this move, going beyond disrupting the balance between the two sides on the Island, the U.S. has evidently become partial,” the ministry stated.

As a guarantor State, Türkiye will continue to take all necessary steps to ensure the security of the Turkish Cypriot people, at added.

Ankara supports the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkish Cyprus regarding the issue, said the ministry.

Last week, Washington announced that the Greek Cypriot administration has been paired with the National Guard in the U.S. state of New Jersey under the Defense Department National Guard’s State Partnership Program.

EU, Greek objection to Libya deal of ‘no significance’ to Türkiye: Ministry spokesman

Meanwhile, the statements made by the spokesperson of Greece and the EU on a deal signed in Tripoli on Oct. 3 between Libya and Türkiye for allowing oil and gas exploration in Libya’s Mediterranean waters are of “no significance or value” to Ankara, the Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Tanju Bilgiç said.

“Objecting to this agreement on cooperation between two sovereign states is against both international law and the basic principles of the U.N.,” the spokesperson said on Oct.4 in a written statement.

The efforts of Greece, which is trying to “usurp” the legitimate rights of not only Türkiye but also Libya with its “maximalist” maritime jurisdiction demands and the license areas it has published in this framework, will not yield any results, he said.

The EU’s support for the “maximalist demands” of Greece and its stance that “avoids sincere dialogue and obstructs” international judicial remedies is against both its acquis and international law, Bilgiç said and emphasized the EU was not an international judicial body to comment on or adjudicate on agreements between sovereign third countries.

“Therefore, we invite both the EU and EU member states not to exceed their borders and powers and to respect the sovereignty and equality of states in accordance with international law and U.N. principles,” the spokesperson stated.

“We signed a protocol on hydrocarbons, and a deal on gas is being negotiated between our energy ministries,” Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said at a press conference with Libyan Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush on Oct. 3 in Tripoli.

“The hydrocarbon agreement we have just signed aims cooperation between Turkish companies and Libyan companies, such as exploration and drilling both on land at sea, with a win-win understanding,” he said.

On Oct. 3, the Greek Foreign Ministry said that Greece “has sovereign rights in the region, which it intends to defend using all legitimate means.’’

“Any reference or action in the implementation of the [2019 border deal] will be by definition illegal and, depending on its gravity, there will be a reaction both at a bilateral level and at the level of the European Union and NATO,’” a ministry statement said.

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said he had spoken to his counterpart in Egypt, Sameh Shoukry, and that “both challenged the legitimacy” of the deal. Dendias said he would visit Cairo on Oct. 9 for “consultations” on the issue.

The European Union said it recalled its position for the 2019 memorandum between Türkiye and Libya remained unchanged, saying the deal, infringed upon the sovereign rights of third States, did not comply with the Law of the Sea and could produce any legal consequences for third States.

“The new agreement has not been made public yet. Further clarifications are needed on its content. Actions that could undermine regional stability should be avoided,” the EU said about the new agreement signed in Tripoli.