WASHINGTON DC (TASS): The US authorities have decided to extend the partial lifting of the US arms embargo on Cyprus for a year. This follows from a notice from the State Department posted on Wednesday in the Federal Register – a collection of official documents of the American government.
“The validity period <…> has been extended until September 30, 2022,” the document says. We are talking about lifting restrictions on the export of non-lethal defense equipment and the provision of services in this area for Cyprus.
The partial lifting of the embargo entered into force on October 1 of last year and, according to the decision of the previous administration, was to be valid until September 30 of this year with the possibility of extension. Washington’s decision to ease the embargo was strongly condemned by Ankara.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said that the step taken by the American side does not correspond to the spirit of allied relations.
Washington imposed an embargo on the supply of US arms to Cyprus in 1987 to support the unification of the Greek and Turkish parts of the island.
