NICOSIA – Turkey condemns deployment of US warship to Cyprus, following USS San Jan’s arrival in April, raising tensions amid Turkish-Cypriot occupation of the northern part of the island.

In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry criticized the US for taking actions in the region that upset the balance and undermine its longstanding neutral position, particularly at the expense of the Turkish Cypriot side.

The arrival of the USS Arleigh Burke, a guided-missile destroyer, in the port of Limassol is viewed as a provocation by Turkey, especially after the US lifted an arms embargo for the Greek-Cypriot side. Middle East Eye reported on the escalating tensions, highlighting Turkey’s oil and gas drilling activities in Cypriot waters in defiance of soft European Union sanctions, as well as the gradual reopening of the closed Varosha resort in the isolated territory controlled by the Turkish-Cypriot side.