2022 was an important year for Cyprus and its defense armour, since in the fall the US, following a decision by the State Department, lifted the arms embargo to Cyprus after decades. This fact opens the way for exports and transfers equipment systems to the Republic of Cyprus.

According to recent reports in the German Press, first in the magazine Der Spiegel and then in the German news agency dpa and the website tagesschau.de of the first program of the German public television, and the German government approved the export of equipment, namely “12 fighter aircraft of the type H145M “, of unknown total value so far, to Cyprus.

This information comes from an internal document of the competent German Ministry of Economy, which is cited by the German media. According to the same document, in addition to the helicopters destined for Cyprus, Niger is also reportedly receiving two King Air 360 ER aircraft specifically for border guarding and India technical equipment for Leopard 2 tanks.

What does the German Ministry of Economy answer to DW about Cyprus?

In response to a question from the Greek program of DW to the German Ministry of Economy regarding the journalistic information about the dispatch of combat helicopters to Cyprus, its representative replied that the ministry “does not, as usual, comment on press reports”. From then on, answering a question about the criteria on the basis of which the German government decides to give approval to corresponding exports of equipment systems, it states the following:

“The federal government only takes decisions on arms system exports after thorough consideration and strict compliance with the Basic Political Principles of the German Government and the Common Position of the Council of the EU. A key role in this is played by the human rights situation in the country that wishes to receive equipment. Cyprus is a member state of the EU. According to the Political Principles of the German Government, an export (of equipment) to an EU member state is generally not subject to restrictions, unless a restriction needs to be imposed for special political reasons in individual cases.”

According to the German Ministry of Economy “for reasons of confidentiality, the federal government cannot comment on the decisions of the Federal Security Council (Bundessicherheitsrat). The relative secrecy can only be lifted in order to justify the decisions before the German parliament.

Cypriot publications and a press release from the Ministry of Defense of Nicosia

The Cypriot side currently does not officially confirm or deny the reports of the last few days in the German press. However, according to reports in the Cypriot press, the Cypriot National Guard is expected to receive the specific combat helicopters and possibly in two installments, initially in the summer of 2023 and then in 2024.

However, the Cypriot Ministry of Defense had already posted on its official website in June 2022 the announcement regarding “the signing of the Agreement for the Supply of 6 Light Attack Helicopters H145M of the company Airbus Helicopters, with the right to exercise an option to acquire another 6”. As emphasized in the same announcement, “the H145M light attack helicopter, capable of operating in a demanding environment day and night, will enhance the capabilities of the EF for rapid reaction, mass fire emission, precision target engagement, and close support and intelligence gathering missions.”

As can be seen from a simple search on the website of the German Armed Forces, the combat aircraft in question are manufactured in particular by “Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH”. German approval of the German government is therefore required.

Dagdelen: “Insidious” tactics of the German government

Invited to comment on the German news on DW’s Greek program, MP Sevim Dagdelen, rapporteur of the Left in the Foreign Affairs Committee of the German Parliament, vice-president of K.O. of her party and representative of the Left on defense issues, which closely monitors the developments in the SE Mediterranean region, said the following:

“The German government’s arms export policy to its NATO partner country, Turkey, as well as to the Republic of Cyprus is insidious and beneficial only for the profits of German armaments companies. Although Turkey has equipped itself with Leopard tanks and German submarines against Cyprus, Cypriot criticism of the escalation policy can be silenced by the delivery of anti-tank weapons and attack helicopters.” As it points out in its exclusive statement: “Cyprus could be helped much more if the German government did not continue to refuse – as it did in the case of aggressive wars of other NATO partners – the condemnation of the occupation of part of Cyprus by Turkey as a violation of international of law”. It is worth noting that the reference to “anti-tank weapons” is related, according to Dagdelen, to the case of 175 guided anti-tank missiles approved for Cyprus in August 2021.

In conclusion, Dagdelen had submitted a question to the German government last fall regarding the licenses, volume and nature of German exports of armament systems to Turkey in 2022. Among other things, she had asked about the attitude of the German government towards in a resolution of the Cypriot parliament, which calls on Berlin to withdraw German Leopard 2A4s that are in the occupied territories in violation of international law, with the German government giving no response citing “the confidentiality of the talks”.