(1) The security of partners and allies in the 
Eastern Mediterranean region is critical to the secu-
rity of the United States and Europe. 
(2) Greece is a valuable member of the North 
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and a key pil-
lar of stability in the Eastern Mediterranean. 
(3) Israel is a steadfast ally of the United 
States and has been designated a ‘‘major non-NATO 
ally’’ and ‘‘major strategic partner’’. 
(4) Cyprus is an important partner in the East-
ern Mediterranean and signed a Statement of Intent 
with the United States on July 10, 2018, to enhance 
bilateral security cooperation. 
(5) The countries of Israel, Greece, and Cyprus 
participate in a critical trilateral dialogue to improve 
cooperation on energy and security issues. 
(6) Secretary of State Mike Pompeo partici-
pated in the trilateral dialogue among the three 
countries on March 20, 2019. 
(7) All three countries oppose any action in the 
Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea that 
could challenge stability, violate international law, or 
undermine good neighborly relations. 
(8) The recent discovery of a large natural gas 
field off the Egyptian coast and the newest discov-
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eries of natural gas off of the Cypriot coast could 
represent a significant positive development for the 
Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East and 
may offer new economic opportunities in the region 
provided ecologically sound extraction methods pro-
tect the regional environment. 
(9) The Government of Turkey has expressed 
an intent to purchase the S–400 missile defense sys-
tem from the Russian Federation, which could trig-
ger the imposition of mandatory sanctions under the 
Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanc-
tions Act (Public Law 115–114). 
(10) It is in the national security interests of 
the United States to promote, achieve, and maintain 
energy security among, and through cooperation 
with, allies. 
(11) Natural gas developments in the Eastern 
Mediterranean have the potential to provide eco-
nomic gains and contribute to energy security in the 
region and Europe, as well as support European ef-
forts to diversify away from natural gas supplied by 
the Russian Federation. 
(12) The soon to be completed Trans Adriatic 
pipeline is a critical component of the Southern Gas 
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Corridor and the European Union’s efforts to diver-
sify energy resources. 
(13) The proposed Eastern Mediterranean pipe-
line if commercially viable would provide for energy 
diversification in accordance with the European 
Union’s third energy package of reforms. 
(14) Cooperation between the United States, 
Cyprus, and Greece for the purpose of research and 
development of energy sources would be in the na-
tional interests of not only the United States, but 
also Israel, and other countries in the Eastern Medi-
terranean and North Africa with similar natural gas 
finds. 
(15) The United States acknowledges the 
achievements and importance of the Binational In-
dustrial Research and Development Foundation 
(BIRD) and the United States-Israel Binational 
Science Foundation (BSF) and supports continued 
multiyear funding to ensure the continuity of the 
programs of the Foundations. 
(16) The United States has welcomed Greece’s 
allocation of two percent of its gross domestic prod-
uct (GDP) to defense in accordance with commit-
ments made at the 2014 NATO Summit in Wales. 
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(17) Energy exploration efforts in the Eastern 
Mediterranean region must be safeguarded against 
threats posed by terrorist and extremist groups, in-
cluding Hezbollah and others. 
(18) The energy exploration in the Republic of 
Cyprus’s Exclusive Economic Zone and territorial 
waters— 
(A) furthers United States interests by 
providing a potential alternative to Russian gas 
for United States allies and partners; and 
(B) should not be impeded by other sov-
ereign states. 
(19) The United States Government cooperates 
closely with the Government of Cyprus through nu-
merous bilateral agreements. 
(20) United States officials have assisted the 
Government of Cyprus with crafting that country’s 
national security strategy. 
(21) The United States Government provides 
training to Cypriot officials in areas such as cyberse-
curity, counterterrorism, and explosive ordnance dis-
posal and stockpile management. 
(22) Cyprus is a valued member of the Pro-
liferation Security Initiative to combat the traf-
ficking of weapons of mass destruction. 
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(23) Cyprus continues to work closely with the 
United Nations and regional partners in Europe to 
combat terrorism and violent extremism. 
(24) Cyprus has been used as an offshore bank-
ing hub. While Cyprus is working to upgrade its 
anti-money laundering legal framework, the Depart-
ment of State’s 2019 International Narcotics Con-
trol Strategy Report (INCSR) noted that, ‘‘the Cyp-
riot financial system is vulnerable to money laun-
dering by domestic and foreign criminal enterprises 
and individuals’’ and that ‘‘organized criminal 
groups and others have reportedly used Cypriot 
banks to launder proceeds, particularly from Rus-
sian and Ukrainian illicit activity.’’ 
(25) As of February 2019, Cyprus has taken 
steps to address legitimate criticism of its use of in-
vestor citizenship schemes (known as ‘‘golden pass-
ports’’), which have in the past allowed Russian 
oligarchs under United States sanctions to obtain 
Cypriot passports and gain full access to the Euro-
pean Union. 
(26) United Nations Security Council Resolu-
tion 1251 (1999) noted ‘‘grave concern at the con-
tinuing excessive levels of military forces and arma-
ments in the Republic of Cyprus and the rate at 
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which they are being expanded, upgraded and mod-
ernized’’ and called upon ‘‘all concerned to commit 
themselves to . . . limiting and then substantially 
reducing the level of all troops and armaments in 
the Republic of Cyprus.’’. 
(27) A 1987 United States arms prohibition 
was designed to restrict United States arms sales 
and transfer to Cyprus and the occupied part of Cy-
prus to avoid hindering reunification efforts. 
(28) At least 40,000 Turkish troops are sta-
tioned in the occupied part of Cyprus. 
(29) While the United States has, as a matter 
of policy, avoided the provision of defense articles 
and services to Cyprus, the Government of Cyprus 
has, in the past, sought to obtain defense articles 
from other countries, such as Russia, that pose chal-
lenges to United States interests around the world. 
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 
It is the policy of the United States— 
(1) to continue to actively participate in the tri-
lateral dialogue on energy, maritime security, cyber 
security and protection of critical infrastructure con-
ducted among Israel, Greece, and Cyprus; 
(2) to support diplomatic efforts with partners 
and allies to deepen energy security cooperation 
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among Israel, Greece, and Cyprus and encourage the 
private sector to make investments in energy infra-
structure in the Eastern Mediterranean; 
(3) to strongly support the completion of the 
Trans Adriatic pipeline and the Eastern Mediterra-
nean pipeline and the establishment of liquified nat-
ural gas (LNG) terminals across the Eastern Medi-
terranean as a means of diversifying regional energy 
needs away from the Russian Federation; 
(4) to maintain a robust United States naval 
presence and investments in the naval facility at 
Souda Bay, Greece, and develop deeper security co-
operation with Greece; 
(5) to welcome Greece’s commitment to move 
forward with the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria 
(IGB pipeline) and additional LNG terminals that 
will help facilitate delivery of non-Russian gas to the 
Balkans and central Europe; 
(6) to continue to support efforts to reach a 
comprehensive settlement to reunify Cyprus as a bi-
zonal, bicommunal federation and urge all parties to 
intensify their work on behalf of peace; 
(7) to deepen security cooperation with Cyprus, 
potentially including lifting current restrictions on 
the export of defense articles and services to Cyprus; 
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(8) to support robust International Military 
Education and Training (IMET) programing with 
Greece and Cyprus; 
(9) to leverage relationships within NATO and 
the European Union to encourage investments in 
Cypriot border and maritime security; 
(10) to support efforts to counter Russian in-
terference and influence in the Eastern Mediterra-
nean through increased security cooperation with 
Israel, Greece, and Cyprus, to include intelligence 
sharing, cyber cooperation, and maritime domain 
awareness; 
(11) to support Cyprus’s efforts to better regu-
late its banking industry to ensure that it is not 
used as a source of international money laundering 
and encourage additional measures toward that end; 
(12) to encourage Cyprus and other relevant 
countries to ensure that investor citizenship schemes 
do not create security, money laundering, or tax eva-
sion vulnerabilities; 
(13) to strongly oppose any actions that would 
trigger mandatory sanctions pursuant to section 231 
of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through 
Sanctions Act (Public Law 115–44), to include the 
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purchase by Turkey of an S–400 missile defense sys-
tem from the Russian Federation; 
(14) to continue robust official strategic dia-
logues with Israel, Greece, and Cyprus; 
(15) to urge countries in the region to deny 
port services to Russian vessels deployed to support 
the government of Bashar Al-Assad in Syria and 
terminate existing agreements granting Russian 
naval vessels access to ports; 
(16) to support joint military exercises among 
Israel, Greece, and Cyprus; 
(17) to fully implement relevant provisions of 
the Countering America’s Adversaries Through 
Sanctions Act (Public Law 115–44) to prevent inter-
ference by the Government of the Russian Federa-
tion in the region; 
(18) to support efforts by countries in the re-
gion to demobilize military equipment supplied by 
the Government of the Russian Federation in favor 
of equipment provided by NATO and NATO-allied 
member countries; and 
(19) to strongly support the active and robust 
participation of Israel, Greece, and Cyprus in the 
Combatting Terrorism Fellowship Program. 
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SEC. 4. UNITED STATES-EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN EN-
ERGY COOPERATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State, in con-
sultation with the Secretary of Energy, may, subject to 
the availability of appropriations, enter into cooperative 
agreements supporting and enhancing dialogue and plan-
ning involving international partnerships between the 
United States and Israel, Greece, and Cyprus. 
(b) ANNUAL REPORTS.—If the Secretary of State, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Energy, enters into 
agreements authorized under subsection (a), the Secretary 
shall submit an annual report to the appropriate congres-
sional committees that describes— 
(1) actions taken to implement such agree-
ments; and 
(2) any projects undertaken pursuant to such 
agreements. 
(c) UNITED STATES-EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN EN-
ERGY CENTER.—The Secretary of Energy, in consultation 
with the Secretary of State, may establish a joint United 
States-Eastern Mediterranean Energy Center in the 
United States leveraging the experience, knowledge, and 
expertise of institutions of higher education and entities 
in the private sector, among others, in offshore energy de-
velopment to further dialogue and collaboration to develop 
more robust academic cooperation in energy innovation 
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technology and engineering, water science, technology 
transfer, and analysis of emerging geopolitical implica-
tions, which include opportunities as well as crises and 
threats from foreign natural resource and energy acquisi-
tions. 
SEC. 5. REPEAL OF PROHIBITION ON TRANSFER OF ARTI-
CLES ON THE UNITED STATES MUNITIONS 
LIST TO CYPRUS. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) the direct sale or transfer of arms by the 
United States to Cyprus would advance United 
States security interests in Europe by helping to re-
duce the dependence of the Government of Cyprus 
on other countries for defense-related materiel, in-
cluding countries that pose challenges to United 
States interests around the world; and 
(2) it is in the interest of the United States— 
(A) to continue to support United Nations- 
facilitated efforts toward a comprehensive solu-
tion to the division of Cyprus; and 
(B) for the Republic of Cyprus to join 
NATO’s Partnership for Peace program. 
(b) 
MODIFICATION
OF
PROHIBITION.—Section 
620C(e) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 
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2373(e)) is amended by adding at the end of the following 
new paragraph: 
‘‘(3) The requirement under paragraph (1) 
shall not apply to any sale or other provision of any 
defense article or defense service to Cyprus if the 
end-user of such defense or defense service is Cy-
prus.’’. 
(c) EXCLUSION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE RE-
PUBLIC OF CYPRUS FROM CERTAIN RELATED REGULA-
TIONS.—Beginning on the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of State shall not apply a policy of de-
nial for exports, re-exports, or transfers of defense articles 
and defense services destined for or originating in the Re-
public of Cyprus if— 
(1) the request is made by or on behalf of Cy-
prus; and 
(2) the end-user of such defense articles or de-
fense services is Cyprus. 
SEC. 6. IMET ASSISTANCE FOR GREECE AND CYPRUS. 
(a) GREECE.—There is authorized to be appropriated 
for fiscal year 2020 $2,000,000 for assistance under chap-
ter 5 of part II of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 
(22 U.S.C. 2347 et seq.; relating to International Military 
Education and Training) for Greece. 
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(b) CYPRUS.—It is the sense of Congress that for fis-
cal year 2020 such sums as may be necessary should be 
made available for assistance under chapter 5 of part II 
of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 for Cyprus. 
(c) PURPOSES.—The assistance described in sub-
sections (a) and (b) should be made available for the fol-
lowing purposes: 
(1) Training of future leaders. 
(2) Fostering a better understanding of the 
United States. 
(3) Establishing a rapport between the United 
States military and the country’s military to build 
alliances for the future. 
(4) Enhancement of interoperability and capa-
bilities for joint operations. 
(5) Focusing on professional military education. 
(6) Enabling countries to use their national 
funds to receive a reduced cost for other Department 
of Defense education and training. 
(7) Provision of English Language Training as-
sistance. 
SEC. 7. SECURITY SECTOR ASSISTANCE. 
There is authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 
2020 $3,000,000 for Foreign Military Financing for 
Greece to assist the country in meeting its commitment 
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as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
to dedicate 20 percent of its defense budget to enhance 
research and development. 
SEC. 8. LIMITATION ON TRANSFER OF F–35 AIRCRAFT TO 
TURKEY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided under sub-
section (b), no funds may be obligated or expended— 
(1) to transfer, facilitate the transfer, or au-
thorize the transfer of, an F–35 aircraft to Turkey; 
(2) to transfer intellectual property or technical 
data necessary for or related to any maintenance or 
support of the F–35 aircraft; or 
(3) to construct a storage facility for, or other-
wise facilitate the storage in Turkey of, an F–35 air-
craft transferred to Turkey. 
(b) EXCEPTION.—The President may waive the limi-
tation under subsection (a) upon a written certification to 
Congress that the Government of Turkey does not plan 
or intend to accept delivery of the S–400 air defense sys-
tem. 
(c) TRANSFER DEFINED.—In this section, the term 
‘‘transfer’’ includes the physical relocation outside of the 
continental United States. 
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(d) APPLICABILITY.—The limitation under sub-
section (a) does not apply to F–35 aircraft operated by 
the United States Armed Forces. 
SEC. 9. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON PURCHASE BY TURKEY OF 
S–400 AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM. 
It is the sense of Congress that, if the Government 
of Turkey purchases the S–400 air defense system from 
the Russian Federation— 
(1) such a purchase would constitute a signifi-
cant transaction within the meaning of section 
231(a) of the Countering Russian Influence in Eu-
rope and Eurasia Act of 2017 (22 U.S.C. 9525(a)); 
(2) such a purchase would endanger the integ-
rity of the NATO alliance; 
(3) such a purchase would adversely affect on-
going operations of the United States Armed Forces, 
including coalition operations in which the United 
States Armed Forces participate; 
(4) such a purchase would result in a signifi-
cant impact to defense cooperation between the 
United States and Turkey; 
(5) such a purchase would significantly increase 
the risk of compromising United States defense sys-
tems and operational capabilities; and 
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