The strong annoyance of Ankara was caused by the agreement between the Republic of Cyprus and the National Guard of New Jersey to participate in the United States state partnership program.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry says it condemns the agreement between the US and the “Greek Cypriot administration” which “encourages the arming of the Greek Cypriot side”. Turkey calls on the US to review the policy, which “in no way serves the stability of the region and to contribute to a just, lasting and sustainable solution to the Cyprus problem”.
“We hope that the Greek Cypriot side will understand the fact that Turkey, as the motherland and guarantor, will never allow harm to be done to the Turkish Cypriots,” threatens the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
The announcement of the Turkish Foreign Ministry in detail
“Regarding the Signing of an Agreement between the US National Guard of the State of New Jersey and the Ministry of Defense of the “Greek Cypriot Administration”
“We condemn the signing of an agreement between the National Guard of the State of New Jersey and the Ministry of Defense of the “Greek Cypriot Administration” (GCA) within the framework of the State Cooperation Program of the Office of the National Guard, under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Defense. Defense, after GCA joined this program last October. We support the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on this matter. USA disturbed the balance on the island of Cyprus at the expense of the Turkish Cypriots in 2022 by lifting the arms embargo on the GCA. These latest steps also encourage the arming of the Greek Cypriot side. We call on the US to review this policy which in no way serves the stability of the region and to contribute to a just, lasting and sustainable settlement of the Cyprus issue. We hope that the Greek Cypriot side will understand the fact that Turkey, as the motherland and guarantor, will never allow harm to be done to the Turkish Cypriots. We emphasize that we will continue to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of the Turkish Cypriot people.”
The State Partnership Program
It is noted that through the US Department of Defense’s State Partnership Program (SPP) over the past 30 years, National Guard units from across the United States have engaged in military partnerships guided by US State Department foreign policy objectives.
The partnership was approved in October 2022 by the United States Department of State and the Department of Defense and will build on the growing cooperation between the Republic of Cyprus and the United States on issues such as maritime security, counter-terrorism, and natural disaster and emergency response .
The agreement sets forth the intent of both National Guards to forge a mutually beneficial relationship based on the needs and interests of both parties.
Reaction from the pseudo-state as well
The reaction of the so-called “Ministry of Foreign Affairs” of the pseudo-state was caused earlier by the agreement between the Republic of Cyprus and the New Jersey National Guard. The pseudo-state speaks of an indication that the US will continue to support the “Greek Cypriot administration” in the military sector.
As broadcast in the occupied territories, in a statement the pseudo-state says that “it is now clear beyond any doubt that the USA follows a pro-Hellenic policy in Cyprus” while it claims that once again the importance of “the effective and de facto guarantee of Turkey” becomes visible for the internal security” of the pseudo-state.
“The attempt by the US to change the existing balance in the Eastern Mediterranean in favor of the “Greek Cypriot administration” and Greece, eliminates the possibility of dialogue required to create an environment of stability in the region,” the Occupied states, adding that “the lobbies of the “Cypriot administration” and Greece contribute to the policy in favor of Cyprus by the USA”.
Finally, reference is made to the “determination” of the Turkish side to deepen defense cooperation with Turkey.
Signing of a Bilateral Defense Cooperation Program with the USA
Besides, on December 29, the first Bilateral Defense Cooperation Program (PDAS) for the year 2023 was signed between the National Guard of Cyprus and the US Armed Forces at the headquarters of the General Staff of the National Guard.
According to a relevant announcement published on the website of the National Guard, the PDAS was signed on the part of the National Guard, the director of the 4th branch of the GEF, colonel Loukas Hatzikonstantas, and on the part of the US Armed Forces, the US Defense Attaché (AKAM) in Cyprus Republic (KD), Colonel Roger Bowman.
The Program which is part of a wider network of bilateral and multilateral military cooperation which the National Guard of Cyprus is developing, in accordance with the directions of the Ministry of Defense, includes a number of actions, which will be carried out both in Cyprus and in the USA, with which the bilateral military cooperation is further strengthened. At the same time, it is a confirmation of the constant upgrading of the military cooperation between the two countries, especially during 2022. It is noted that the signing of the PDAS follows the mutual support agreement in matters of Administrative Care (Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement – ACSA), which was signed in September 19, 2022, of the ratification of the inclusion of Cyprus in the State Partnership Program for which a relevant agreement is expected to be signed within 2023 with the State of New Jersey, as well as the recent decision to completely lift the arms embargo to Cyprus.
In the same announcement, it is noted that in the context of the signing of the program, on Tuesday, January 03, 2023, the head of the National Guard, Lt. Gen. Dimokritos Zervakis, met at the General Headquarters of the Greek Armed Forces, with the AKAM of the USA, colonel Roger Bowman, where there was a brief review of the of cooperation developed during 2022, the actions included in the 2023 MAP were discussed, but also in general the course of upgrading the relations between the two countries.
Source: News Beast
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