Omirou steps up missile talk

DEFENCE Minister Yiannakis Omirou has slammed Turkey’s efforts to scupper the missile deal as “hypocritical” and unrealistic.

He said the “orchestrated” effort by Turkey to convince the world that the Cyprus problem started with the Russian S-300 missile issue smacked of double standards.

“Turkish troops in occupied Cyprus are heavily armed and Turkey spends billions of dollars every year on offensive weapons,” Omiriou said during a speech in Salonica.

The minister pointed out that the adverse international response to the government’s missile deal ignored the continuous violation of Cyprus air space by Turkish military planes over the last 24 years.

Omirou also talked tough about Ankara’s threats to strike the missiles if they are deployed on the island.

“The National Guard, the people of Cyprus, as well as Greece will respond if Ankara chooses to act irresponsibly against the S-300 missiles.”

According to the Russian manufacturers, the missiles are due to arrive in August.

“Our message to all who express concern about a possible conflict in Cyprus is to turn to Turkey, to convince it to agree to a solution based on international law and a steady demilitarisation programme,” said Omirou.

While Omirou is visiting Greece, Turkey’s top general Ismail Karadayi is in Moscow putting pressure on the Russians to halt the deal.

Karadayi is a five-day visit which could see a deal secured for Russian military helicopters.

The Turkish general is expected to meet Russian defence minister Igor Sergeyev today.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.