Moscow against recognition of Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus

Russia dismissed Turkish media reports on Thursday that Moscow and Ankara are engaged in bargaining for the mutual recognition of Crimea as Russian territory and the Turkish-occupied territories in northern Cyprus.

She also expressed Moscow’s opposition to the efforts undertaken by Turkey for the recognition of the entity in occupied Cyprus.

“Recently we have seen increased activity aimed at the international recognition of the illegal state in northern Cyprus and we urge the avoidance of steps that could increase tensions between communities,” she said. 

Russia’s position on Cyprus is “unchanged” and “well-known,” she insisted in response to a question by the Athens-Macedonian News Agency.

“We are consistently in favor of a solution within international law, based on the [United Nations] Security Council and which foresees the creation of a bizonal, bicommunal federation with a single international legal status, sovereignty and citizenship,” she said, adding that claims of bargaining are “unacceptable.”

“The Republic of Crimea is an integral part and one of the most dynamically developing members of the Russian Federation,” she stressed, saying that Russian territory will never be up for bargaining.