The Greek Armed Forces have tested S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems on the island of Crete on Nov.23-27.
Greece, German, Dutch, and US servicemen also took part in the exercises. They are all NATO-members and reject Turkey’s possession of the Russian system.
The system was initially purchased by Cyprus and was later transferred in 1997 to the Greek island of Crete following objections from Turkey.
In 2013, the Greek armed forces test-fired the S-300 air defense system for the first time.
The Greece-owned system encompasses 4 batteries, 16 launch platforms, and 80 missiles. Although Greece announced earlier that it won’t get this system out of its inventories to avoid a crisis between NATO and Washington, it later merged the system with the air defense system.
Before the testing, Anadolu Agency quoted military sources as saying that the Greek step is a dangerous threat to Turkey, adding that the silence of those who object over Turkey, hinting at the US and NATO, is remarkable.
In another context, Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades called on Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot leadership to implement what the EU demands through the European Parliament resolution regarding Famagusta and the resumption of talks.
In a written statement, government spokesman Kyriakos Koushos said the government welcomed the content of the resolution adopted by the European Parliament which denounced Turkey’s recent decision to open part of Varosha to visitors.
According to Koushos, the government particularly emphasizes the fact that the European Parliament condemns Turkey’s illegal actions in the fenced-off area of Famagusta and urges Ankara to reverse its decisions.
It also calls on the Turkish side to return to the negotiating table for the resumption of talks from where they stopped in Crans-Montana in 2017, he said.
The negative reactions to the resolution by the Turkish Cypriot leader and Turkish foreign ministry, he said, are in complete opposition to the relevant UN resolutions and do not facilitate at all the new initiative undertaken by the UN Secretary-General just days before his envoy arrives in Cyprus.