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AHI Requests State to Remove Arms Prohibition on Republic of Cyprus based on President’s Memorandum

NO. 40

WASHINGTON, DC — American Hellenic Institute (AHI) President Nick Larigakis wrote to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo requesting him to utilize the authority delegated to him last week by President Donald Trump under two recently enacted laws to waive the limitations placed on the transfer of arms to the Republic of Cyprus, and further, to remove the Republic of Cyprus altogether from the list of countries to which arms sales are prohibited under International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).

President Larigakis’ April 22 letter to Secretary Pompeo cites President Trump’s April 14, 2020 Memorandum on the Delegation of Authorities under the NDAA for FY 2020 and the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act of 2019 that delegates the authority to Secretary Pompeo to determine whether Cyprus has satisfied the two limitations of: 1) continued cooperation with implementing anti-money laundering regulations and 2) the denial of port facilities in Cyprus to Russian military vessels.

In the letter, President Larigakis provides several points to demonstrate the Republic of Cyprus has satisfied the two limitations and advocates for Secretary Pompeo to remove permanently the Republic of Cyprus from the ITAR list as the secretary has always been authorized to do.

“AHI has long maintained the State Department had the authority to remove the Republic of Cyprus from the ITAR list,” Larigakis said. “That position is underscored even more so with President Trump’s memorandum. The Republic of Cyprus is a valued strategic partner of the United States that promotes regional stability and U.S. security interests. AHI calls for Secretary Pompeo to act immediately to remove the Republic of Cyprus from the ITAR list.”

Read: AHI’s letter to Secretary Pompeo

Background

AHI has communicated extensively in the past with State Department officials and congressional staff on the issue of lifting the prohibition. Some initiatives have included:

  • In December 2019, AHI announces the publication of a White Paper that explained why the provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act of 2019 which refer to the prohibition on sales of U.S .defense articles/services to the Republic of Cyprus mandate that the prohibition remained in in place despite the enactment of the two bills.

  • In June 2019, AHI President Nick Larigakis and U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) authored an op-ed published in The Hill titled, “State Department Need Not be at Odds with Itself on Republic of Cyprus/ITAR Policy” detailing how the State Department’s response to a congressional letter on the topic placed the department at odds with itself.

  • In August 2018, AHI published an Issue Brief which introduced the policy issue on the prohibition and explained that the State Department had the authority to remove the prohibition as an administrative matter. It also explained why Cyprus should never have been placed on the ITAR at all.