CYPRUS: US Senator warns Golan Heights issue plays into Turkey\\\’s hands

US Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland has warned that recognising the Golan Heights as Israeli territory was dangerous and would serve Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s designs on Cyprus, according to CNA.

Van Hollen was addressing US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at a Senate committee meeting, during which Pompeo was repeatedly questioned about the Golan Heights by Democrat senators Dick Durbin and Chris Van Hollen.

Van Hollen pointed out that Turkey would argue that it intervened in Cyprus to help the Turkish Cypriots and that Erdogan would be pleased with a statement regarding the acquisition of territory held by force.

He said, it was a dangerous, slippery slope, and when it reached the West Bank it would undermine any efforts for a peaceful solution of two states.

Last month, US President Donald Trump officially recognised Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights, seized from Syria in 1967.

Syria said Trump's decision was "a blatant attack on its sovereignty".

Israel annexed the Golan Heights in 1981, in a move that is not recognised internationally and Turkey has occupied Cyprus’ northern third since 1974.

A spokesman for United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was "clear that the status of Golan has not changed".

During the Senate meeting Pompeo reiterated that if Turkey deployed Russian S-400 missiles, it could not participate in the US F-35 fighter jet programme, noting that he had said this in private and was now doing so in public.