U.S.A WARNS GREECE TO
REMOVE AMERICAN WEAPONS FROM CYPRUS (03.07.03)
Various
Greek Cypriot dailies, as reported in the Turkish Cypriot press, reported that
the U.S.A is exerting pressure on the Greek Cypriot National Guard to remove
from the island U.S make weapons,
in particular the M48-AB (MOLF) type tanks, the 155 and 157mm mobile cannons,
and the 8.5 inche cannons, it purchased from Greece.
Pointing
out that the Americans started to exert pressure last autumn, the dailies
reported that recently this pressure has increased and through the U.S
Embassies pressure was first directed towards Greece and then the Greek
Cypriot administration.
It
is also reported that Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Yorgos Yakovu and Defence
Minister Kiriakos Mavronikolas have confessed that recently pressure is being
exerted on them to remove from the island all U.S make weapons in the hands of
the Greek Cypriot National Guard.
The
Greek Cypriot daily ‘Politis’ reminding that on the issue of the U.S
weapons the first pressure to Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration was
made a few days after the official parade and that the issue was headlined in
its 12 October 2002 issue reported that the then U.S Ambassador to Greece,
Thomas Weston, before 1 October, when the official parade was to take place,
had warned the Greek government not to display the cannons.
According
to the daily because the request of the Americans, at that time, was not
materialized pressure regarding the removal of these weapons has recently come
on the agenda and in a statement made yesterday the Greek Cypriot Foreign
Minister Yorgo Yakovu said the issue was brought to his attention during the
last phase of the negotiations by the U.S Ambassador to South Cyprus, Mark
Klosson, and that when Klosson did this he showed as reason the U.S law
forbidding the transfer of these U.S make weapons, which had been purchased
from a foreign country, to another country.
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