File photo. [AP]
Democratic Senator Cory Booker and Republican Senator Jerry Moran introduced bipartisan legislation to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee extending the US arms sales embargo waiver to Cyprus from one year to five years, aiming to ensure continuity and stability in defense cooperation between the two countries.
The initiative seeks to strengthen the institutional framework of cooperation and establish a more predictable, long-term defense planning mechanism for Cyprus, enabling better organization of procurement and joint exercises with the US.
The bill – expected to face an immediate committee vote – proposes amending specific restrictions and exemptions concerning defense equipment exports, as well as conditions governing defense assistance provision and sales to the Republic of Cyprus.
Specifically, the legislation would modify Section 205 of the 2019 Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act (East Med Act), replacing “one fiscal year” with “five fiscal years.”
If approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday, the legislative initiative would gain significant momentum, given that Representative Chris Pappas has already included a corresponding provision in the House State Reauthorization Act, the annual bill determining American diplomatic priorities.
For the embargo waiver to be implemented in practice, it must be incorporated into the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which covers the annual US defense budget.