“We are certainly disappointed that Cyprus has signed up to the EU sanctions against our country, which – and this is already evident not only to economists, but also to ordinary people – has hit the island’s economy hard. -even,” said the head of the Russian diplomatic mission in Nicosia. – However, I would like to point out that in the entire more than 60-year history of diplomatic relations between our countries, Russia and Cyprus have never considered each other as adversaries, and I am sure they do not. will not do in the future. We are very close peoples and countries. The Cypriot people have always been, are and will remain friendly to us. This friendship is based on the mutual sympathy of ordinary people, on the close historical, spiritual and cultural relations that have existed between our countries for centuries. I don’t think temporary political upheavals can destroy it.
According to Murat Zyazikov, it is obvious that Nicosia’s decision to freeze cooperation with Russia is politically motivated and was in fact imposed by the European Commission.
“Otherwise, it is difficult to explain from the point of view of logic why to voluntarily take measures that harm our own economy. However, it is impossible to ban everything, especially when people have a need and a great desire to cooperate That is why part of Russian companies have managed to adapt to new realities and continue to work on the island,” the ambassador said.
According to him, Moscow’s approaches to resolving the situation in Cyprus (since 1974 the island has remained divided along ethnic lines between southern Greece and northern Turkey – note RG) remain unchanged. “We will continue to adhere to the line of principle and constantly advocate for a comprehensive, viable and just settlement within the well-known international legal framework enshrined in UN Security Council resolutions. We believe that the solution should be found by the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities themselves. At the same time, we believe that a final settlement is hardly possible without the gradual demilitarization of the island and the replacement of the outdated system of security guarantees outside by guarantees from the UN Security Council,” Zyazikov said.
Responding to a question about the situation in our country, the head of the Russian Embassy stressed that the forecasts of Western analysts about the collapse of the Russian economy due to sanctions turned out to be wrong. “The ruble, despite some fluctuations, remains one of the most reliable global currencies. Inflation in Russia is lower than in a number of European countries. According to Standard & Poor’s, industrial production in Russia in the second half of 2022 has recorded the strongest growth in the last 6 years. And above all, we produce 90% of the food on our territory ourselves. Today, the same Western “specialists” say that one day the Russian economy will “They won’t wait, as our people say,” said a senior Russian diplomat.
According to him, Russian media bans in the West are “destructive for Western democracy itself”. “The West has an obvious problem with terminology. What has always been seen as pluralism and society’s right to alternative viewpoints is now called ‘propaganda.’ “West itself is eroding the foundations of its own democracy. , on which European and American civilizations have grown. The prohibitions are fear and self-doubt. Fear of allowing their peoples to hear the truth and think for themselves. cancellation” of Russian culture is not dangerous for us. It is destructive for Western democracy itself, “- said Murat Zyazikov.
The diplomat pointed out that in Cyprus, compared to mainland Europe, there is more freedom of expression, there is no total control of the media and mass anti-Russian hysteria. “People here have more opportunities to receive alternative information, to independently assess the events taking place in the world. This allows them to objectively examine the origins and root causes of various conflicts, including the crisis Moreover, the Cypriots are a wise people who see perfectly well that the sanctions not only do not and will not achieve the objectives of those who introduce them, but harm the economy of the island, which, ultimately, negatively affects the lives of ordinary people, ”the Russian Ambassador to the Republic of Cyprus explained.
