The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) criticized the U.S. Navy for anchoring an attack submarine at a Greek Cypriot port, threatening stability on the island.
The TRNC Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the Greek Cypriot administration continues to disrupt the atmosphere of stability and peace on the island and in the Eastern Mediterranean by stepping up its arms purchases.
“We strongly condemn the docking of the USS San Juan attack submarine at a Greek Cypriot seaport,” it added. “We repeatedly state that the removal of the arms sales restrictions imposed by the US on the Greek Cypriot administration and subsequent steps that will endanger the security of the Turkish Cypriot people will encourage the Greek Cypriot administration to take up arms.”
Citing pledges by Michalis Giorgallas, the Greek Cypriot administration’s defense minister, to buy U.S. weapon systems, the statement said such developments show that the U.S. is helping the Greek Cypriot administration systematically arm itself.
According to the U.S. Defense Department, the USS San Juan docked at the Southern Cypriot port of Limassol on April 3. Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides visited the sub on Thursday, according to the local media.
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