Washington: US President Joe Biden has issued a directive allowing the Greek Cypriot administration to purchase military equipment from the US. Biden, who has just a few days left in office, on Wednesday issued a directive allowing the administration to purchase "defense equipment, supplies, and services" from the US in accordance with the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.

According to Anadolu Agency, Biden's statement emphasized that the provision of defense articles and services to the Republic of (Greek) Cyprus is expected to enhance US security and promote global peace. US Ambassador to the Greek Cypriot administration, Julie Davis Fisher, expressed on X that this move is a significant step in deepening bilateral relations, enhancing security cooperation, and promoting stability in the Eastern Mediterranean region.

The decision has not been without controversy. Last September, Trkiye criticized the US for lifting an arms embargo on the Greek Cypriot administration for another year. The Turkish Foreign Ministry warned that this decision could lead to an arms race on the island, disrupting the delicate regional balance. In response to increased armament activities by the Greek Cypriot administration, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is expected to take necessary measures to bolster its defense and deterrence capabilities.

As Biden prepares to leave office on Monday, there is no indication that Donald Trump, his successor and predecessor, will alter the US' Cyprus policy upon his return to the White House.

Cyprus has long been embroiled in a conflict between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, despite numerous diplomatic efforts by the UN to resolve the issue. Ethnic tensions in the early 1960s forced Turkish Cypriots into enclaves for safety. In 1974, a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at annexing the island to Greece prompted Trkiye's military intervention to protect Turkish Cypriots. The TRNC was established in 1983.

The island has experienced intermittent peace processes, including a failed 2017 initiative in Switzerland under the auspices of guarantor countries Trkiye, Greece, and the UK. The Greek Cypriot administration joined the EU in 2004, the same year Greek Cypriots unilaterally blocked a UN plan to resolve the longstanding conflict.