The Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomes the decision by the United States Government to renew, for fiscal year 2027, the lifting of defense restrictions (International Traffic in Arms Regulations – ITAR) pertaining to the Republic of Cyprus.
As stated in a press release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this decision allows for the export, re-export, and transfer of defense materiel and defense services from the U.S. to Cyprus for the specified period.
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According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this development constitutes recognition of the ongoing expansion of the strategic partnership and cooperation between the Republic of Cyprus and the United States, including in the areas of defense and security. It also reflects the two countries’ shared priorities in the region, as well as their shared commitment to actively promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the Eastern Mediterranean.
It should be noted that over the past few years, Cyprus and the United States have made substantial progress in their cooperation in the areas of security, crisis management, and Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations (NEOs).
This progress, it is emphasized, is reflected, among other things, in the establishment of the Defense and Security Cooperation Dialogue, in 2021, the signing of the Roadmap for Bilateral Defense Cooperation, in 2024, as well as the Republic of Cyprus’s ability to access U.S. defense programs, including Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and Excess Defense Articles (EDA). In this context, the renewal of the exemption from ITAR restrictions contributes to the further deepening of bilateral cooperation.
The Republic of Cyprus, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expresses its deep appreciation for the ongoing bipartisan efforts in the U.S., and the legislative initiatives in Congress aimed at the long-term extension of the current framework of exemptions from ITAR defense restrictions.
Such a development, it is noted, would enhance the predictability and stability of cooperation between Cyprus-U.S. cooperation in the fields of defense and security, while providing a stable framework for long-term defense procurement planning.
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