Eastern Mediterranean developments: Washington lifts the arms embargo on Cyprus, Turkey criticizes and begins maneuvers, and Greece calls for calm

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that his country has lifted restrictions imposed on the sale of non-lethal defense goods and services to the Republic of Cyprus for the next fiscal year, and Turkey has criticized the US move and hinted at taking steps to respond to it.

Pompeo described the Republic of Cyprus as a major partner of the United States in the eastern Mediterranean, announcing in a tweet that he was working to deepen security cooperation with it.

For its part, the Turkish Foreign Ministry criticized the United States ’decision to lift the arms embargo on the Greek side of Cyprus.

A foreign ministry statement said that the decision poisoned the atmosphere of peace and stability in the region and was contrary to the spirit of the alliance between the two countries, hinting that it would take the necessary steps to respond to the US decision.

On Tuesday, Northern Cyprus (also known as Turkish Cyprus) criticized the United States ’decision to lift the arms embargo on Greek Cyprus, considering it false and disappointing.

It exercises

Concurrently, Turkey began military naval exercises with

live ammunition off the

coast of

Iskenderun overlooking the

city on the

eastern Mediterranean.

Turkey also continues to conduct naval exercises in another region off its eastern Mediterranean coast, which it began on August 29 and lasts for two weeks, and these exercises, according to military officials, aim to increase the pace of coordination between its naval elements participating in the exercises.

For his part, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Greece is taking provocative steps in the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean, with the support of European countries.

He added that the island of Meiss - which is 580 km from Greece - is only 2 km from Antalya, and its size is 10 km2, and because of this island Greece is demanding 40,000 km2 of water.

Cavusoglu stressed - during a press conference with his Algerian counterpart in Ankara - that his country will not allow anyone to infringe on its rights, and that it does not infringe on anyone's rights.