Russia is going to open a consulate in the territory of the
Republic of Cyprus under Turkish occupation. The Russian media provided this
information, noting that the Russian population there reaches about 50,000.
“I think that we should not jump to the hasty
conclusion that with this move, Russia recognized the Turkification of Cyprus.
This is an official statement aimed at facilitating the process of opening the
consulate with regard to the Russians living there,” Turkologist Ruben
Safrastyan said this to ABC Media.
According to the expert, we should wait a bit before drawing
conclusions.
“We should take into account the fact that now
relationships between Russia and Turkey are not the same as they were a week
ago,” he noted.
According to the Turkologist, the relations between Russia
and Turkey have deteriorated as Turkey went back on its promise and returned
the commanders of the Azov Brigade to Ukraine. In fact, these commanders are
now on the battlefield.
“If the opening of the consulate had taken place in the
situation where relationships between Russia and Turkey were better, the
impression would have been slightly different,” he noted.
According to Ruben Safrastyan, even Turkey’s closest allies
that are dependent on it, have not recognized Northern Cyprus as a sovereign
state. As for Russia, there are no benefits that it would derive from
recognition.
The expert claims that Russia and Turkey are not even
allies. They merely have common interests.
“They are in two opposing camps. Russia’s relationships
with the West are deteriorating,” Safrastyan noted.
The Turkologist does not rule out the possibility that the
relationships between Russia and the West will become even worse. As for EU
member Cyprus, it is part of the West.
“In this regard, I do not think that Russia will
utterly destroy its relationships with the entire world. My take on this is
that Russia will not do this, as this move will not offer it any substantial
benefits,” Safrastyan noted.
