Nicosia: The International Coordinating Committee - Justice for Cyprus has strongly criticized what it described as the Trump administration's 'appeasement' of Turkey, warning that the sale of advanced US military technology to Ankara would undermine American interests and regional stability.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the committee, led by its President Philip Christopher, argued that Turkey had demonstrated itself as 'an unreliable ally,' 'not a dependable partner of America,' and 'not a loyal member of NATO.' The Cypriot organization called on Ankara to end 'the illegal occupation of 38% of the Republic of Cyprus,' emphasizing that Cyprus is a member of the European Union and 'a strong strategic partner of America.'
The committee asserted that Turkey was violating US and international law, including the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, by continuing to possess the Russian S-400 missile system while undermining NATO. It also accused Turkey of supporting groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and ISIS, illegally occupying areas of northern Syria and northern Iraq, and undermining US foreign policy toward Iran.
The statement by the committee further accused Turkey of violating international maritime laws through illegal claims and oppressing minorities, including Kurds, Christians, and Jews. It highlighted Turkey's continuing threat of 'casus belli' against Greece and accused Ankara of obstructing energy exploration and development by Cyprus, Greece, and Israel.
Christopher emphasized that selling advanced military technology to Turkey would reward territorial aggression, oppression of minorities, anti-Israel rhetoric, and continued violations of US and international laws. He compared the situation to historical appeasement policies, stating, 'Appeasement did not work with Germany; it will not work with Turkey,' and called for Ankara to be held accountable and pressed to respect international law.
The longstanding division of Cyprus since 1974, following Turkey's invasion and occupation of its northern third, remains unresolved. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have failed to produce results, with the latest negotiations in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ending inconclusively.