Nicosia in touch with Moscow over Russian presence in occupied areas

Nicosia had in the past and continues to have consultations with Moscow regarding the issue of a possible Russian presence in the Turkish-occupied areas to provide consular assistance to its citizens living there, the Foreign Ministry said in a press release.

The aim, it said, is to find ways to address such a possibility in a way that abides by the principles of international law and the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

The Ministry said it was aware of press reports about a possible Russian presence, as a temporary arrangement, to give consular assistance to Russian citizens illegally residing in the occupied areas in cases of emergency.

To this end, it added, it has taken note of a press release issued on 10 August by the Russian Embassy in Nicosia, and looked into the issue in Nicosia as well as at the Cypriot Embassy in Moscow.

The Russian Embassy in Cyprus said in a post on Facebook that the issue of consular protection and physical care of Russians living in the "north" - as it calls the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus - is of a purely administrative and technical nature, although with a strong humanitarian dimension. The Embassy adds that this does not affect the principled position of Russia regarding a settlement of the Cyprus issue.

The Embassy also notes that a significant number of Russians, which may reach several tens of thousands, live in the north of the island. "We will not delve into the circumstances of how they got there, but that is an objective, indisputable fact," it said, noting that they need consular assistance for a number of daily issues as well as for the protection of their legal interests.

It added that the issue "demanded a special approach so as to find optimal ways, of course, in close contact with the colleagues in the Republic of Cyprus".

In addition, it stated that the consular dimension of Russia-Cyprus bilateral relations, "continues to occupy one of the central positions in the political dialogue between our countries".

At the same time, the Embassy emphasized that the issue “does in no way affect Russia's principled position on the settlement of the Cyprus issue. Our approaches remain unchanged, they are based on the relevant Resolutions of the UN Security Council, including those no. 541 (1983) and no. 550 (1984)".

(Source: CNA)