Cyprus’ position on Turkish involvement in Safe programme ‘adopted’ by EU, Christodoulides says

Cyprus’ position against Turkish involvement in the European Union’s Security Action for Europe (Safe) defence procurement programme has been adopted by the EU, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Thursday.

“I am pleased that our position regarding the participation of non-member states n the Safe financial instrument has been adopted,” he said upon his arrival at the day’s European Council meeting in Brussels

“No country, third country, which occupies territories or threatens the security of member states, can under any circumstances participate in or utilise any of the EU’s financial instruments in the fields of defence and security.”

His comments come after Greece’s foreign ministry’s spokeswoman Lana Zochiou confirmed that her country intended to veto Turkey’s participation in the programme unless the country rescinds a parliamentary resolution signed in 1995 regarding both country’s claims in the Aegean sea.

The Turkish parliament had declared at the time that any unilateral action by Greece beyond 12 nautical miles from the country’s coast in the Aegean sea would constitute a “casus belli” – a reason to go to war.

“As long as the casus belli remains, Greece will not accept Turkey’s participation in Safe. The lifting of the casus belli is a necessary condition for the discussion to begin,” Zochiou said.

Earlier, Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas had informed the European Union’s foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas and European defence commissioner Andrius Kubilius of the Cypriot government’s “clear disagreement” with the idea of Turkey joining the Safe programme.

“We clearly emphasised our views on the Safe instrument and at the same time we also expressed some concerns about some background which is being done regarding the effort of some to have Turkey participate in this instrument as well,” he said after a meeting with the pair.

Turkey formally filed a request to join the programme last month, while exactly 23 of the EU’s 27 members are also Nato members.

Last month, Kathimerini had reported that Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte had “signalled support” for Turkish participation in the programme during a meeting with EU ambassadors, arguing that “engagement” between the EU and Turkey “is essential for stronger Nato cooperation”.

Cyprus has secured  over €1 billion of funding for military hardware through the programme, with Palmas having said earlier this month that states participating in the programme have been given until November 30 to provide to the EU what he described as “the list of armament programmes which interest” them.

From then, he said, “within a five-year horizon”, the government will be able to “exhaust this amount with all the armaments which we consider useful”.

In addition to Cyprus, 18 other EU member states are also in line to receive funding as part of the €150bn allocated by the European Commission to the programme earlier this year.

The Safe programme is open to all 27 EU member states, as well as the four European Economic Area States – Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland – and Ukraine, as well as six other countries which have signed common defence agreements with the EU – Albania, Japan, Moldova, North Macedonia, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.

Turkey would be eligible to sign an agreement similar to that of the UK with the EU and gain access to the Safe programme, but defence agreements require unanimity among EU member states.