CNS Resources on the Missile Crisis over Cyprus

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Cyprus, the S-300PMU-1 Missile System, and Regional Security:

An Annotated Chronology, 1995-96[1]

1995

3/3 The European Union announces that it will initiate negotiations on Cyprus entry into the organization.

3/5 Cypriot Defense Minister Costas Eliades and Greek Defense Minister Gerasimos Arsenis sign the Joint Defense Doctrine, which commits Greece to aid Cyprus in the event of war.

9/23-27 The Greek air force and navy participate in Cyprus "Niceforos 95" military exercise. Apparently due to US pressure, Greece cancels a plan to airdrop paratroopers on the island to avoid provoking Turkey. According to Greece, the US opposed all Greek participation in the exercises, fearing it would lead to military escalation on the island.

12/19 The US Clinton administration announces that it intends to approve a $132 million sale of 120 MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) to Turkey. A December 12 US Department of Defense announcement said that "this proposed sale will not adversely affect either the military balance in the region or US efforts to encourage a negotiated settlement of the Cyprus question." The ATACMS has a range of 160km and can strike targets in Cyprus from Turkey. The missile carries a 450kg payload of 950 M74 anti-personnel bomblets, and has a highly accurate inertial guidance system with update capability. It is designed to attack rear-echelon forces, surface-to-air missile sites, airfields, and ballistic missile launchers. The Cypriot government protests the sale, and asks that the United States guarantee that the missiles will not be used against Cyprus.

12/28 Cypriot press reports indicate that the government is considering the purchase of an air-defense system to defend against Turkish aircraft and missile threats, including that posed by the ATACMS.

1996

6/20 Greek Defense Minister Gerasimos Arsenis states that Greece will increase its defense budget "well above the current 4.6 percent of gross domestic product" over the next five years to maintain the balance of power in the Aegean with Turkey. Arsenis says that the spending increase is necessary to acquire new weapon systems in response to Turkeys purchase of missiles, naval vessels, and fighter aircraft.

8/19 Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis says that Greece will not tolerate any Turkish military advance against Cyprus, and that "any attack against Cyprus will meet our immediate and decisive response."

 

Sources:

  1. This chronology of the S-300PMU-1 dispute is based on news articles published by AFX News, Agence France Presse, Alithia, Anatolia, Associated Press, ATV, Boston Globe, British American Security Information Council, Business Wire, CNN, Cumhuriet, Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation, Cyprus Mail, Cyprus Weekly, DefenseLINK, Defense News, Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Elevtheros Tipos, Elevtherotipia, Elliniki Radhiofonia Radio Network, Exousia, Federal Register, Financial Times, Globes, Haaretz, Hurriyet, Independent, I Makhi, Interfax, International Herald Tribune, ITAR-TASS, I Simerini, Izvestia, Jamestown Monitor, Janes Defence Weekly, Jane's Intelligence Review, Jerusalem Post, Kaleidoscope, Kommersant Daily, Middle East International, Milliyet, New York Times, NTV, O Agon, O Filevtheros, O Logos, Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, Russkiy Telegraf, Segodnya, Sunday Times, Reuters, Toronto Star, To Vima Tis Kiriakis, Turkish Daily News, Washington Times, Xinhua, and Yeni Yuzyil.

    Data from these sources regarding the S-300PMU-1 sale to Cyprus are included in the International Missile Database of the Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS). This database contains over 8,500 abstracts regarding international sales and development of ballistic and cruise missiles, missile-defense systems, and missile components and technologies. Access to the full collection is only available by subscription. For subscription information click here.


Michael Barletta and Erik Jorgensen, November 1998.
© Center for Nonproliferation Studies,
Monterey Institute of International Studies


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