The US has set conditions and demands that serve US policy

AKEL C.C. Spokesperson Giorgos Koukoumas on US lifting the embargo on the Republic of Cyprus:

“This absurdity that has lasted 35 years is now being lifted not because the US realised the injustice, but with conditions and demands that serve their policy and which the Anastasiades government has accepted.”

19 September 2022, ‘Astra’ radio

The US embargo on the sale of arms to Cyprus had to be lifted as it was unfair and was an outrageous reversal of logic and what is right, AKEL press spokesperson Giorgos Koukoumas noted on ‘Astra’.

At the same time, he stressed that the security of Cyprus can only be achieved through peaceful negotiations.

The AKEL Spokesperson added that this absurdity, which has lasted 35 years, is now being lifted not because the US has realised the injustice, but has set conditions and demands that serve its policy and which the Anastasiades government has accepted.

At the same time, Giorgos Koukoumas reminded those who believe that by Cyprus arming itself Turkey will withdraw [its occupation troops] that the US State Department itself two years ago stressed that the US does not want a fundamental change in the military balance in the region.

This means, he explained, that the US is not going to let Turkey lose its superiority.

AKEL also underlines, Giorgos Koukoumas added, that we must not deviate from the efforts to find a peaceful solution to the Cyprus problem on the agreed basis and framework.