18 April 1998

A policy of double standards by the West, direct hypocricy and expansionist intentions by Turkey. That's the only interpretation that can be given to the extremely negative attitude of the USA and its European allies to the provision of the Russian S-300 missiles by the Republic of Cyprus, while at the same time they promote a new armament project for Turkey, which includes equivalent ground-to-air missiles.

As the Reuters news agency broadcasted on 13 January 1997, the Belgian Ministry of Defence confirmed the existence of negotiations between the French company Thomson-CSF and Turkey for the provision of equivalent to S-300 missiles, which are now in possession of the Belgian and Dutch armed forces. According to the dispatch, the French company will undertake the trade part of the provision, given that direct trade negotiations between the two governments are illegal.

First of all we must make clear something which has thrown almost everyone into confusion. The S-300 system is not purely an anti-aircraft system, but can be used also as an anti-missile system. In other words those missiles can destroy not only aircrafts, but also oncoming missiles with the same accuracy. The provision of exactly that system has alarmed the Turkish General Staff, because Turkey will deploy in the occupied Cyprus ground-to-ground ATAMCS missiles, which has already started to receive from the USA, with the intention to strike a blow in the rear of free Cyprus in case of an outbreak of hostilities. Of course those missiles are neutralized by the S-300 system PMU-1 edition, which has been proved clearly better than the equivalent American Patriot in weapon tests.

Though the Turkish armed forces are now all powerful in Cyprus having the 11th Army Corps with 35.000 men supported by thousands of tanks and APCs and considering the full and direct air-naval support from the neighbouring Turkish mainland, the Turkish generals fear that in a few months an advance of Turkish occupying forces in Cyprus in a potential clash will mean heavy casualties for them. So they press the politicians either to accept a political solution or to launch a lightning attack in Cyprus begore the armament project of the National Guard is completed. For that reason an F-16 C squadron with the codename "bat" of the Turkish air-force, equipped with Lantirn fuselages special for night operations, has been transferred to the nearest to Cyprus airport of Adana with the intention to hit targets in Cyprus if ordered. That move alarmed the USA so as to warn Turkey overtly not to attempt any offensive action against Cyprus.

What must be noted is that according to all indications that move was preplanned by the Turks, because several months ago radiophotographic fighters PF-4 violated the Cypriot airspace and took photos from areas where air-naval installations are possible to be constructed. However a potential Turkish advance in Cyprus is a casus belli for Greece, a threat deterring the expansionist plans of Ankara.