Cyprus-Forum.com

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The Russian foreign minister has said Russia's position on the Cyprus problem remains unchanged after President Vladimir Putin strongly criticized European countries for displaying double standards on Kosovo and the Turkish Cypriot state.
"There is no change in our position on the Cyprus issue," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference after talks with his visiting Turkish counterpart, Ali Babacan, in Moscow. He was responding to a question over whether Putin's remarks meant a policy change. "Our position is based on finding a solution to the Cyprus issue in line with UN Security resolutions. We support the goodwill mission of the UN Secretariat-General for settlement," Lavrov said.

Last week, Putin slammed the European countries for supporting an independent Kosovo. He said it would be "immoral and illegal" and that European countries supporting the region's bid to break away from Serbia should be "ashamed" of having double standards. "I don't want to say anything that would offend anyone, but for 40 years northern Cyprus has practically had independence. Why aren't you recognizing that? Aren't you ashamed, Europeans, for having these double standards?" he said.

Lavrov said Putin just meant to underline that there were double standards in the European position and explained that international actors are respecting international law when it comes to Cyprus but violating the same rules in regard to Kosovo.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC), established in the early 1980s, is recognized only by Turkey. The Greek Cypriot administration was admitted into the EU in 2004 as representative of the entire island, leaving the Turkish Cypriot north isolated. Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots support the restart of reunification talks on the island and are not currently seeking recognition for the KKTC.

Babacan's visit, which came just a day after Kosovo declared independence from Russian ally Serbia on Sunday, has displayed the difference between Ankara and Moscow's approaches on the Kosovo issue. Russia has said Kosovo's declaration of independence and its subsequent recognition by Western powers will upset world stability and open a Pandora's Box of separatist tension across Europe, whereas Ankara was quick to salute and recognize Kosovo's independence.

"We respect Russia's position on Kosovo. Turkey has different legal and political assessments and thus the final decision we made was also different from that of Russia," Babacan said. "Turkey and Russia both want stability and peace in the Balkans. We are ready for consultations and to work together with Moscow to this end."

Lavrov further noted that the European Union plans to send a policing, justice and administrative mission to Kosovo are in violation of international law. "The EU's unilateral decision to send a mission ... to Kosovo ... is in violation of the highest international law," he said.

The EU is expected to deploy the 2,000-strong mission by June. It will oversee training and institution building, with limited rights to intervene to fight organized crime and corruption or hunt war criminals.

Russian participation in Nabucco

Babacan, speaking to reporters before meeting Lavrov, also gave a positive signal on Moscow's participation in the EU and US-backed Nabucco project to build a natural gas pipeline from the Caspian Sea region to Europe.

"We are open to including Russian gas in Nabucco. Every country is aiming at diversifying its energy resources. What actually matters for us is having the gas in the Nabucco pipeline come from a variety of sources. We consider our policies on these issues not as competing with those of Russia; on the contrary we consider these policies as complementary to each other. I also expressed this during my meeting with Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko yesterday (Tuesday)," Babacan said.

Nabucco, which would carry natural gas from the Caspian region and the Middle East to central and western Europe, is still in its initial planning phases. It was devised as a means to diversify gas supplies and reduce energy dependence on Russia. The project aims to deliver 30 billion cubic meters of gas from Central Asia and the Caspian region to Europe through a 3,300-kilometer pipeline from Turkey through Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary to Austria.

Questions remain as to whether the Nabucco project can find sufficient gas supplies to make it worthwhile. In December, Russia scored a major victory when it signed a deal with Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan for those countries' Caspian Sea gas supplies to flow through Russia, draining the main potential source for Nabucco.

In another blow to Nabucco, Russia also cut deals with Bulgaria and Serbia for the South Stream pipeline, which would carry Central Asian gas to Europe. "Russia sent us supplementary gas when we had troubles concerning the gas coming from Iran. Russia is a reliable supplier for us. There was an agreement between Botaş and Gazprom for building joint gas storage facilities. Realization of this agreement between Gazprom and Botaş would greatly please us," Babacan stated yesterday.