WASHINGTON, D.C. – GNUSA
U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) condemned on March 17 Turkey’s decision to deploy F‑16 fighter jets to the Turkish‑occupied northern part of Cyprus, calling the move a direct violation of U.S. law and a threat to regional stability.
Meng, a member of the Congressional Hellenic Caucus and the House Appropriations Subcommittee on National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs, overseeing national security and State Department funding, said the action undermines Cyprus’s sovereignty at a time when Turkey is simultaneously seeking to acquire advanced U.S. F‑35 aircraft.
She urged an immediate reversal of the deployment and noted that Turkey’s behavior should prompt serious reconsideration of any effort to provide it with F‑35 jets.
Her full statement reads:
“At the same time Turkey is asking the U.S. for F-35 fighter jets—America’s most sophisticated weapon—it has chosen to deploy F-16 fighter jets to Turkish-occupied Cyprus to harass our key ally in the Eastern Mediterranean, in violation of U.S. law.
This unacceptable decision threatens Cyprus’s sovereignty and stability under the guise of regional security. I join my colleagues from both parties in calling for it to be reversed immediately.
Especially after this, anyone interested in giving Turkey F-35 fighters should think twice”.
