Reactions in Congress regarding Turkish F-16s in occupied territories

In the new statements, the lawmakers speak of a move that undermines stability in the Eastern Mediterranean and raises issues of compliance with US arms export laws.

Representative Dina Titus from Nevada “strongly” condemned Ankara’s decision to deploy the aircraft to the island, describing the action as “unjustly provocative and a move that leads to further escalation.” He noted that this move is “yet another reason why Turkey is an unreliable ally” and added that the president of the United States should not approve the sale of F-35 fighters to Ankara or lift the sanctions provided for by the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

In a similar tone, Congressman Gus Bilirakis from Florida described the deployment of the aircraft as “a clear violation of the sovereignty of Cyprus” and “a reckless step that will further intensify tensions and instability in the region.” He claimed that this was a “violation of US law” and called on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan “to immediately change course and withdraw the fighters”.

Gregory Meeks, the chairman of the Democratic minority on the House of Representatives International Affairs Committee, had earlier expressed a similar position. As he had stated, this particular move “undermines the sovereignty of Cyprus and will intensify tensions in the region”, while calling on the Turkish president “to immediately change course”.

The Turkish F-16s are American-made and were acquired through the United States’ military equipment sales programs. According to the Arms Export Control Act, military equipment sold to third countries must be used exclusively for legitimate defense purposes or for other uses approved by the US government.

The deployment of such systems in areas associated with military occupation or in territory that is not internationally recognized could be considered a violation of the terms under which their transfer was authorized, as the United States recognizes the Republic of Cyprus as the sole legitimate state on the island.

The issue of the use of American weapons in Cyprus has been a subject of intense political debate in Washington in the past. After the Turkish invasion of 1974, Congress imposed a temporary arms embargo on Turkey, ruling that American military equipment had been used in a manner that violated export regulations.