Russia supports UN-brokered agreement on Cyprus

Russia’s special representative for Cyprus Leonid Abramov has expressed support for a UN-brokered agreement, in July last year, providing for preparatory discussions to help resume substantive negotiations, leading to a comprehensive settlement.

In statements to the press after a meeting with Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou Marcoullis, Abramov, who was earlier received by President Tassos Papadopoulos, said that “we stand for the continuation of the process within the Gambari formula, within this agreed methodology of how to reach the comprehensive settlement negotiations. These are the only rules of the game for the situation today.”

He added that Russia will continue its active efforts in the UN and as member of the five permanent members of the Security Council it will support a durable, just and fair settlement in Cyprus on the basis of the relevant Security Council resolutions.

Asked about his recent meetings in Ankara, Ambramov said: “I hope first of all the main result was better understanding on both sides of the peculiarities, details of the situation today. Once again we stressed that we stand for the continuation of the direct contacts of both communities, continuation of the intercommunal dialogue within the Gambari formula. This window of opportunity should not be closed. Otherwise both sides would make a step back, not forward.”

Russia, he said replying to questions, is going to play a more active role.

On July 8, 2006, President Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat agreed, during a meeting in Nicosia in the presence of UN official Ibrahim Gambari, to begin a process of bicommunal discussions on issues that affect the day-to-day life of the people and concurrently those that concern substantive issues, both contributing to a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus, to reunite the country, divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion.