The National Federation of Cypriots in the United Kingdom has written to Defence Minister John Healey warning that a recently signed multi-billion training and support contract between London and Ankara — part of a broader October 2025 agreement covering the sale of Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft to Turkey — may violate UK Strategic Export Licence Criteria and Britain’s legal obligations as a guarantor power.
The letter expresses serious concern that the cooperation could breach the criteria governing security, human rights and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean. The Federation points to Turkey’s continuing military presence in the occupied north, repeated violations of Cyprus’s airspace and territorial waters, and the recent deployment of Turkish F-16s in occupied north Cyprus, alongside hundreds of airspace violations recorded in 2025, as evidence that supplying Turkey with advanced combat aircraft creates serious risks to Cyprus’s security.
Invoking UN Security Council Resolutions 550 and 541 and the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee, the Federation argues that the United Kingdom — as a guarantor power — is legally and morally prohibited from facilitating actions that could lead to the partition or annexation of Cyprus. It warns that selling and supporting advanced fighter jets without strict conditions could place the UK in direct breach of these obligations.
The letter also raises human rights concerns, citing Turkey’s denial of the right of return for refugees and the restriction of religious and political freedoms in the occupied areas.
The Federation is calling on the British government to provide clear assurances that any military equipment sold to Turkey will not be used to perpetuate the occupation or strengthen Turkey’s military presence in Cyprus. It is also asking London to clarify whether it has secured commitments from Ankara that the weapons systems will not be deployed in actions that violate international law. The Federation concludes by noting that recent British statements of support for Cyprus must be backed by concrete policies and binding commitments.