Cyprus Mail
CyprusTurkey

Turkey distorting reality to create tension

Υπουργείο Άμυνας Υπουργός Άμυνας Ισραήλ Άσκηση «ΑΓΑΠΗΝΩΡ 2022»
Agapinor 2022

The foreign ministry on Monday accused Turkey of distorting reality to create tensions in the region, after Ankara said the government’s efforts for new confidence building measures were insincere, in view of the Agapinor joint military exercise with Israel.

“We are disappointed to observe once again the escalation of Turkish rhetoric aiming at, among other things, distorting reality and creating tensions in our region, following the Agapinor exercise,” the foreign ministry said in a press release.

The ministry’s comments came after the Turkish foreign ministry said the Agapinor large-scale military exercise held in Cyprus last week “was organised at the cost of destabilising the region and is clear proof of the insincerity of the Greek Cypriot side” which had prepared new proposals for cooperation.

In response, the Cypriot foreign ministry said the Republic of Cyprus would continue to exercise its sovereign rights and implement its international obligations, strengthening cooperation with states in the region in a wide range of areas, including the fields of security and defence.

“The purpose of such exercises, which are based on fictitious scenarios, is exclusively the strengthening of the defence capabilities of the national guard, enhancing bilateral and regional cooperation and the creation of conditions of security and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean,” it said.

The statement added how these activities “are governed by the principle of inclusiveness, without excluding or targeting any neighbouring country.”

“Unfortunately, it is once again confirmed that the only country that consistently destabilises the region is Turkey,” the ministry said. It explained that by trying to undermine efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue, Turkey is also turning against the Turkish Cypriots.

The ministry added that “everyone’s sincerity is judged by the proposals and initiatives they undertake to resolve problems and overcome impasses on the basis of international law and not by actions that circumvent, undermine and violate its provisions.”

Agapinor-2022 involving Cyprus’ national guard and the armed forces of Israel, was completed on June 2, having started on May 29 and was carried out in several locations in Cyprus by sea, land and air.

Meanwhile, Turkey is organising a joint search and rescue exercise with the northern part of the island from June13 to 17, Turkish Cypriot media reported on Monday. The civil defence and army from Turkey and the corresponding part of the “civil defence” of the “search and rescue service” of the Turkish Cypriot leadership will take part in the exercise.

Follow the Cyprus Mail on Google News

Related Posts

MPs demand urgent action on liver transplant patient care

Nikolaos Prakas

Traffic fines: same penalties, longer payment period

Elias Hazou

Festival explores experimental music scene

Eleni Philippou

Mixed-marriage Turkish Cypriot loses appeal for citizenship

Tom Cleaver

Two years in jail for killer driver

Jonathan Shkurko

‘Feverish pace’ over monk scandal investigations

Andria Kades