Nicosia, Cyprus. Turkey’s defence ministry on Thursday warned France against pursuing further military ties with the Republic of Cyprus following the signing of a status of forces agreement that allows France to station troops on the island.
The ministry said any military alliance targeting the rights and interests of Turkey and the TRNC would not succeed against Turkey, and said the Turkish armed forces had the strength and determination to respond to hostile attitudes threatening Turkish Cypriots’ security.
Agreement signed in Nicosia
The agreement was signed on Monday in Nicosia by French Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin and Cypriot Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas on the sidelines of the informal European foreign affairs council meeting in its defence configuration.
Plans for a status of forces agreement had been announced by Cypriot government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to the island in April.
Cypriot and French positions
President Nikos Christodoulides said at the time that the agreement would strengthen humanitarian military cooperation and joint action at a regional level, and provide for the presence of French forces on Cypriot territory for humanitarian purposes.
During his visit, Macron spoke extensively about defence, saying that the mass deployment of European military hardware in and around Cyprus after the island was hit by an Iranian-made drone in March constituted a reaffirmation of determination to secure Europe’s space.
Macron said on March 9 that when Cyprus was attacked, Europe was attacked.
Reaction from Turkish Cypriot side
Earlier in the week, Turkish Cypriots reacted critically to the deal, with ‘prime minister’ Unal Ustel accusing the Greek Cypriot side of increasingly intensifying the buildup of military assets in and around the island under the guise of humanitarian purposes while aiming to gain military advantages.
He said the move disregards the Turkish Cypriot people’s inherent rights to sovereign equality on the island and is intended to disrupt the delicate balances established concerning security and stability in the region.
