Christodoulides Open to Turkey Joining EU Defence Programme if Conditions Met

The European Council had on Tuesday announced the adoption of the Security Action for Europe (Safe) instrument, with the project set to offer EU financing for member states which “wish to invest in defence industrial production through common procurement”.

On Wednesday, Christodoulides was asked about the possibility of Turkey potentially asking to participate in the programme in exchange for the resumption of talks on the Cyprus problem, and did not rule the prospect out.

“Any participation of a third country presupposes an EU defence agreement with this third country, which presupposes unanimity. If Turkey means what it says in relation to the strengthening of relations between the EU and Turkey, we are here to examine everything with a positive approach,” he said.

“What interests us is to create the conditions not only for the resumption of talks on the basis of the agreed framework, but also for a solution to the Cyprus problem – a solution which must certainly respect the principles and values of the EU.”

The Safe programme foresees that EU member states and allies will join forces to carry out “common procurements” for military hardware, with it envisioned that at procurements will be carried out by at least two participating countries on any given occasion.

All EU member states qualify for the Safe programme, as well as Ukraine, the four European Economic Area States – Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland – and as six other countries which have signed common defence agreements with the EU – Albania, Japan, Moldova, North Macedonia, South Korea, the United Kingdom, which signed an agreement with the EU last week.

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.

However, even without such a deal, Turkish manufacturers may have some access to the funds, with it having been written into law that “common procurements involving subcontractors which are allocated between 15 per cent and 35 per cent of the value of the contract” and are not based in the EU or any of the countries with which it has an agreement will also be eligible for Safe funding.

While this arrangement will not directly allow Turkey to procure military hardware using Safe funds, it would allow for the country’s military hardware manufacturing industry to benefit.

On Wednesday, Christodoulides also spoke about Cyprus’ future plans for defence, pointing out that the country also gained access to three programmes run by the United States’ department of defence in January, giving it easier access to American military hardware.

He said that on this matter, note has already been taken of defence articles which Cyprus wishes to procure from the US.

He added that he, together with Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos, Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas, and Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis, will “in the immediate future … make the final decisions regarding both defence equipment and infrastructure which are of particular importance”.

He said that such discussions will also produce decisions regarding planned upgrades to the Andreas Papandreou airbase in Paphos and the Evangelos Florakis naval base in Mari.

It had been revealed at the end of last year that planned upgrades to the Mari naval base may cost in excess of €200 million, while the planned upgrades to the airbase are set to be less expensive, estimated at around €14m. 

Source: Cyprus Mail