Turkey’s Defence Ministry has said the United States‘ decision to lift restrictions on defence equipment sales to Cyprus has been extended by one year, to September 30, 2027. The ministry said the extension could negatively affect “sensitive balances” and the climate of trust on the island.
Speaking at the ministry’s weekly press briefing, spokesperson Rear Admiral Zeki Aktürk said the US decision amounted to “a step that could have a negative effect on the island’s balances.”
The ministry said it expects “third parties” to avoid activities that it argues harm the balances in Cyprus, as well as actions that, in its words, “ignore the Turkish Cypriot people,” and it called on third countries to contribute to peace and stability through what it described as a “fair and impartial approach.”
The ministry repeated that Turkey, as a guarantor power, will continue, “in cooperation with the Turkish Cypriot authorities, to take the measures it deems necessary for the security, peace and prosperity of Turkish Cypriots.”
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry took a similar position on September 12, after the US decision was announced. It said the strengthening of Cyprus’s defence capability contributes, in its assessment, to “further erosion of trust” between the two sides on the island, and said Turkey would continue to defend the rights and security of Turkish Cypriots.
Mitsotakis visit to Kastellorizo
At the same briefing, the ministry addressed Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s recent visit to Kastellorizo. Aktürk said the visit, and the Greek prime minister’s contacts with military personnel on the island, “were closely monitored” by the Turkish side.
Ankara repeated its position that Kastellorizo falls under demilitarised status under the 1947 Paris Peace Treaty, and argued that the presence of military assets and warships on the island is inconsistent with that status. It also said that publicly showcasing military forces during high-level visits “does not contribute to peace and stability,” and called on Greece to observe obligations that, according to Turkey’s interpretation, stem from international treaties.
Turkey added that it continues to support the development of Greek-Turkish relations on the basis of good neighbourliness and dialogue, while continuing to protect what it describes as rights and interests derived from international law.
Asked about the relocation of the 51st Commando Brigade to Söke in Aydın, opposite Samos, the spokesperson said changes to the structure and deployment locations of Turkish military units are made on the basis of the Turkish Armed Forces’ operational needs. He clarified that the change of headquarters for the 51st Commando Brigade had already been approved in June, following relevant assessments.
This places the decision several months before Mitsotakis’s recent Kastellorizo visit, despite a link drawn between the two events in recent days by some Turkish media outlets.
Mecca Defence Alliance
The ministry also addressed the “Mecca Defence Alliance,” which includes Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. According to the ministry, the agreement is based on defence and collective deterrence, and builds on existing relations and defence cooperation between the three countries.
Aktürk said the agreement “is not directed against any country” and is not an alternative to the participating states’ existing relations with third countries. He said work continues on developing military cooperation, strengthening interoperability and increasing defence capabilities, as well as on institutionalising the alliance.
Houthi actions
The ministry also condemned recent drone attacks on Saudi Arabia and actions by Houthi forces. The spokesperson said such actions threaten regional stability, and noted that the ongoing threat in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait affects both regional security and international maritime trade.
