Turkey's Defence Ministry is pushing back against the United States' decision to extend its arms sales waiver for Cyprus...

Turkey's Defence Ministry is pushing back against the United States' decision to extend its arms sales waiver for Cyprus, calling it a threat to "sensitive balances" on the island. The waiver, which lifts restrictions on US defence equipment sales to Cyprus, has been extended by one year to September 30, 2027. Spokesperson Rear Admiral Zeki Aktürk said the move could have "a negative effect on the island's balances" and called on third countries to take what Ankara describes as a "fair and impartial approach." Turkey's Foreign Ministry had already voiced similar objections on September 12, when the US decision was first announced, arguing that strengthening Cyprus's defence capability contributes to "further erosion of trust" between the two communities on the island. At the same briefing, Aktürk confirmed that Turkish forces had been closely monitoring Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis's recent visit to Kastellorizo, including his contacts with military personnel there. Ankara repeated its position that Kastellorizo holds demilitarised status under the 1947 Paris Peace Treaty, and argued that displaying military forces during high-level political visits "does not contribute to peace and stability." On the relocation of the 51st Commando Brigade to Söke in Aydın, directly opposite the Greek island of Samos, the ministry said the move was based on operational needs and that the decision had already been approved back in June, several months before Mitsotakis's Kastellorizo visit. That timeline contradicts claims circulating in some Turkish media that the relocation was a direct response to the Greek PM's visit. Turkey also confirmed it is part of a new "Mecca Defence Alliance" alongside Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, describing it as a collective deterrence agreement that is "not directed against any country." #Cyprus #Greece #Turkey