Is Britain reviewing its arms export policy for Cyprus?

Expectations that Britain may be adapting its strict ban on arms exports to Cyprus have been made following comments by Britain’s Minister for Europe Geoffrey Hoon, in a written statement from the House of Commons.

Earlier this year and after the refusal of President Tassos Papadopoulos to see the then Foreign Secretarty Jack Straw, Britain refused to return helicopter parts to Cyprus apparently because this violated an export ban imposed on both sides of the island in 1997.

In 1996 the ordering by the Cyprus government of missiles from Russia led Turkey to serious threats from Turkey.

The helicopter parts were initially sent to Switzerland for repair and ended up in the UK.

“We currently assess all export license applications against the consolidated criteria as well as the policy restriction imposed in 1997 on exports to military forces on the island,” said Hoon in a written statement from the House of Commons.

“We have determined that the consolidated criteria alone will be sufficient in assessing future export licence applications for Cyprus.”

This has been taken to mean that the specific 1997 ban on Cyprus will be lifted.

Hoon also noted, however, that the British government “will continue to scrutinise the export of military equipment to Cyprus with the same rigour, applying strict controls on a case-by-case basis with due regard to security on the island and stability in the region, and in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.”

“We will no longer have regard to the EU common embargo list in assessing licence applications to Cyprus,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister to the President and Government Spokesman Christodoulos Pashiardes said that the government has had not official information about any change in British policy.

“Apart from this vague statement of the British Minister, we have so far no concrete and official information by the British government”, he said.