Ambassador Vladimir Chizhov comments on allegations that Russia is impeding the Cyprus settlement

Submitted on Fri, 01/13/2017 - 19:50

Comment by Permanent Representative of Russia to the EU Ambassador Vladimir Chizhov on allegations that Russia is impeding the Cyprus settlement, 13 January 2017

Evidently, anti-Russian hysteria is becoming contagious. Overzealous fighters of the (dis)information front are working day and night trying to implicate Russia in all sorts of problems, including those that are the direct result of shortsighted and arrogant policies of others.

Frankly, I was half-expecting something of the sort after yet another attempt to resolve the long-standing Cyprus problem without due consideration of its complicated nature. Leaving aside the essence of the situation (as somebody who has been dealing with the Cyprus problem for over forty years now, I admit I was not surprised at the outcome of the latest Geneva enterprise), I feel obliged to comment on the preposterous allegations in yesterday’s POLITICO Europe publication. 

I would like to remind those who seem to forget that it was my country in its various historical incarnations that supported a just and durable settlement of the Cyprus problem, based on the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and high-level agreements of 1977 and 1979, a solution that would serve the interests of all Cypriots. Perhaps, it would be appropriate to mention here that in May 1986 my country offered a most comprehensive plan for a Cyprus solution. 

All along we insisted that the two communities should be given an opportunity to decide, without external interference or artificial timelines, on the future of their country. It is a matter of fact that this position was and continues to be highly appreciated by both Greek and Turkish Cypriots. I also remember that back in 2004, when Russia indeed applied a “technical” veto on an ill-prepared UNSC resolution, both sides actually thanked Moscow for that gesture.

So, attempts to shift the blame for the lack of success in efforts to settle the problem before a specific date or on the basis of artificially imposed templates are both unfair and misleading.