Moscow is convinced that a final solution on the Cyprus problem should be found by the Cypriot communities themselves during negotiations based on UN Security Council resolutions, and attempts to impose ready-made solutions from outside are unacceptable, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th December, 2018) Moscow is convinced that a final solution on the Cyprus problem should be found by the Cypriot communities themselves during negotiations based on UN Security Council resolutions, and attempts to impose ready-made solutions from outside are unacceptable, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview.
"We consider unacceptable any attempts to impose ready-made recipes and artificial deadlines from the outside. ... We are convinced that a final solution and its various parameters should be found by the Cypriot communities themselves during negotiations on the basis of well-known UN Security Council resolutions," the minister told the Greek newspaper Efimerida ton Syntakton.
Moscow is committed to a comprehensive, fair, lasting and viable settlement of the Cyprus problem, the minister stressed.
"Our proposal to involve all permanent members of the Security Council in working out a final decision on the external aspects of the settlement also remains in force," he added.
Only adherence to international law and the values of mutually respectful dialogue and diplomacy will allow to strengthen security and stability in the entire Mediterranean, and to ensure peace and prosperity for its peoples, the minister stressed.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when the Turkish troops entered the island. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was declared in 1983 and is recognized only by Turkey, while the international community considers it to be a part of the Republic of Cyprus.
Negotiations on the reunification of Cyprus have been conducted almost from the moment of its division; they were repeatedly interrupted and resumed in February 2014 after a two-year hiatus initiated by incumbent Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades.
In July 2017, negotiations on Cyprus were held in Switzerland's Crans-Montana. The talks have collapsed as no decision to reunite Cyprus was found. Athens believes that at the conference in Crans-Montana the first real chance to solve the Cyprus problem appeared and blames Ankara for the failure of talks.
