Türkiye will not abstain from exercising its rights as a guarantor state for Cyprus, Defense Ministry sources said on Thursday, following Greek Cypriot Archbishop Georgios’ Easter remarks that angered Ankara. In an Easter message, the influential cleric in the divided island accused Türkiye of “expansionism” and called for coordination with Greece, another guarantor state for the island, to liberate the island.”
Sources said Türkiye would act against any activities by the Greek Cypriot administration that threaten the peace, stability and security of Turkish Cypriots on the island.
The archbishop is among the successors of Makarios III, who served two terms as president of the self-styled Republic of Cyprus in the 1970s. Makarios III was the main proponent of the island’s unification with Greece before turning to defending independence for the island. He was the president when Turks faced ethnic attacks and was deposed in a coup just days before Türkiye’s 1974 Peace Operation to rescue Turkish Cypriots from Greek Cypriot attacks.
The ministry’s sources said the archbishop’s statements should be viewed in light of the declaration of a new anti-Turkish terrorist group in southern Cyprus, which appears to echo the ideology of the Greek Cypriot terrorist group EOKA, which massacred Turkish Cypriots in the past.
“The latest statements are one of the most blatant displays of the discriminating, fanatical and provocative mindset that led to deadlock in the island of Cyprus,” the sources said.
Greek and Turkish Cypriots are at odds over a solution for the final status of the island. Turkish Cypriots seek an independent state, rejecting the idea of a two-state federation to govern the island.
“This mindset, ignoring historical facts, distorting the current situation and presence of Türkiye on the island, is the biggest obstacle to peace, dialogue and a constructive approach to the issue. This approach, ignoring international law and humanitarian values, targets legitimate rights and the security of the Turkish Cypriot people. Cyprus has been a Greek Cypriot island. It is impossible to realize plans to do so and they will not be allowed,” the sources said. The sources added that Türkiye invited the Greek Cypriot administration to adhere to common sense instead of violent and hostile rhetoric and contribute to a solution based on the sovereign equality of the two peoples.
“It is thanks to Türkiye that the peace prevailed on the island,” sources said.
Eurofighter sales
Defense Ministry sources also commented on reports that Germany is blocking the sale of Eurofighter military planes to Türkiye and underlined that Ankara was in talks with the United Kingdom for the acquisition of Eurofighter Typhoon, not Germany.
“Türkiye did not conduct any talks with Germany on the matter. British authorities have not relayed any negative developments regarding the process so far. The process is continuing without any problems,” sources said.
Germany’s outgoing coalition government has reportedly blocked the sale of jets to Türkiye due to recent political developments in the country, including the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, according to media reports.
German financial daily Handelsblatt first reported on the veto earlier this month, attributing the decision to Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s caretaker government. The export veto, according to Handelsblatt, which cited several sources familiar with the secret internal government deliberations, stemmed from concerns in Berlin over Ankara’s commitment to “democratic norms.”
Imamoğlu, a prominent figure in the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), was arrested last month on corruption charges, the same day his party declared him as its presidential candidate, despite presidential elections being officially slated for 2028. The Turkish government has firmly rejected claims of political motivation, emphasizing the independence of the judiciary.
The Eurofighter Typhoon jets are built by a consortium of Germany, Britain, Italy and Spain, represented by companies Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo. The sale of advanced jets requires unanimous approval from all four countries.
While Ankara has expressed interest in acquiring the warplanes, the process had been complicated earlier by Germany’s objections. Despite the multilateral framework, Türkiye has been conducting negotiations mainly with the U.K., which formally submitted an offer for the jets to Ankara in March.
Türkiye announced late in 2023 its interest in acquiring as many as 40 jets, and its interest in Eurofighters came after a prolonged process over its request to buy F-16 warplanes from the U.S.
Türkiye, despite boasting NATO’s second-largest army, has often in the past faced arms embargoes, which have pushed it to boost domestic capabilities and curb foreign dependence significantly. Today, it produces a wide range of products and arms types domestically, including its own drones, missiles and naval vessels.