Cyprus Announces Intention to Join NATO, Turkey Opposes and Threatens to Veto

During a recent meeting with US President Joe Biden at the White House, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides presented his strategic vision of Cyprus' potential future integration into NATO. This was reported by Kathimerini.

It is noted that the proposal presented by Christodoulides in the Oval Office has already received a positive response from Washington. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan called the plan for Cyprus' possible accession to the Alliance a “win-win”, stressing the significant opportunities that such a development could create.

The first discussions of this plan began with former US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland, followed by a conversation with a senior Pentagon official in the summer. The official presentation of the integration plan by the Cypriot leader on 30 October brought the initiative to a new political level.

After his visit to the US, Christodoulides also discussed the initiative with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Bucharest during the European Political Community summit.

The key goal of the plan is to institutionalise Cyprus' relations with NATO in order to facilitate its eventual accession to the organisation. However, this step depends on a number of preconditions, including progress in resolving the Cyprus conflict and improving relations between the EU and Turkey. Success in these areas could provide Ankara with significant benefits, such as access to European organisations and resources - a prospect currently hindered by Cyprus' veto.

However, Turkish Ambassador Ulutç Özülker categorically rejected this possibility, comparing the situation to when Turkey once vetoed Sweden's application to join NATO.

‘Turkey will not allow southern Cyprus to join NATO, just as we blocked Sweden's membership without our consent,’ he said.

He also cited historical precedents, including Turkey's veto of Cyprus' accession to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), even though it did not have a formal veto. ‘Turkey has the right to exercise its rights in international organisations, and Cyprus will not move forward without Ankara's approval,’ he stressed.

In order to implement its plans for NATO membership, Cyprus has put forward three strategic requests to the United States: a long-term lifting of the arms embargo, expansion of military training programmes, and assistance in modernising its military capabilities.

It is noted that Nicosia is ready to seek financial assistance from the United States to expand the Andreas Papandreou base in Paphos so that the facility meets American standards and can host American personnel on a permanent basis.