The recent invasion threats made by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan towards Israel should be regarded seriously, reflecting Turkey’s ongoing regional ambitions, stated a Cyprus official.
Konstantinos Letymbiotis, Cyprus’ government spokesperson, emphasized to Fox News Digital the importance of taking public threats seriously, noting that international law must be respected and upheld by all nations. He lamented Turkey’s five-decade-long illegal occupation of 37% of Cyprus, highlighting the severe impacts of such actions.
Erdoğan’s provocative statements at the end of July, where he declared that Turkey should be strong enough to counter Israel’s actions towards Palestine and hinted at potential aggressive moves similar to those in Karabakh and Libya, have sparked intense reactions, including from Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, who starkly reminded Erdoğan of the fate of Saddam Hussein.
Responding to queries about Erdoğan’s comments, a U.S. embassy spokesperson clarified that Turkey’s contention was with the actions of Israel’s government, not its people.
Letymbiotis further discussed the ongoing challenges in the region, pointing to the aggressive Turkification of Cyprus, which includes renaming places and destroying cultural heritage, as evidence of Turkey’s intent on expanding its influence.
The discussion also covered the historical context of Turkey’s 1974 invasion of Cyprus, which led to the island’s division and only recognized Turkish Cypriot independence. Despite Cyprus being an EU member, only the southern part enjoys full benefits.
Additionally, Letymbiotis highlighted Cyprus’ role in international efforts, such as facilitating humanitarian aid to Gaza through a U.S.-led initiative, reflecting strong Cyprus-U.S. relations based on mutual trust and collaboration.
However, the spokesperson expressed concerns over Turkey’s NATO membership, which complicates diplomatic relations, especially seen in recent interactions with Sweden’s NATO membership bid.
The Turkish embassy had not responded to inquiries regarding the comments made by the Cyprus spokesman at the time of publication.
