The delivery of the advanced Israeli-made Barak MX air defence system poses a direct threat to the national security of both Turkey and the so-called "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC), claimed Deputy Chairman of Turkey’s Republican People's Party (CHP), Yankı Bağcıoğlu, following allegations that Nicosia has procured the system.
In a written statement, Bağcıoğlu asserted that the system’s reported arrival at the port of Limassol "constitutes a clear violation of international law and an immediate threat to the national security of Turkey and the TRNC".
The Barak MX, which provides 360-degree coverage and is capable of neutralising aircraft, drones, and missiles, "is a far more advanced system than the Russian S-300s, which never made it to Cyprus in 1997 due to Turkey’s decisive stance at the time," he stated.
He went on to claim that the new weapons system could be installed in Paphos, where its 3D multifunction radar would enable surveillance of aerial activity as far as the Aksaz–Alexandretta region in southern Turkey. Furthermore, he warned that due to its networked structure, the system could be integrated with Israeli defence networks, potentially transferring critical data concerning the Eastern Mediterranean.
Bağcıoğlu added that the Barak MX would bolster the Republic of Cyprus’ existing Tor-M1 and Buk M1-2 systems, "turning the island into a forward-operating defence base supported by Israel, the United States, and France".
In conclusion, he urged Ankara "to engage in a determined diplomatic struggle against the faits accomplis of the Greek Cypriots and to clearly demonstrate its deterrence capability", in order, as he put it, "to safeguard peace and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean".
