Cypriot Pres: "Cyprus and Russia will continue to cooperate without paying any heed to international reaction."

Cypriot Pres: "Cyprus and Russia will continue to cooperate without paying any heed to international reaction." (CM).

PRESIDENT Nicos Anastasiades on Friday said Cyprus and Russia would continue to cooperate without paying any heed to international reaction to the agreements struck with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

One of the agreements, formalising the use of Cypriot ports by Russian navy ships for anti-terrorism and humanitarian reasons, has caused particular consternation abroad, especially in Britain, which maintains two military bases on the island.

The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) had strong words for Cyprus on Friday, according to a report from the Cyprus News Agency. It cited FCO sources in London as saying that although the agreement was a matter for Cyprus, when set in the context of the West’s stance on Russia over Ukraine, the move was a cause for concern.

The FCO source said London believed the European Union position on Russia’s actions in Ukraine were clear. “We acknowledge the unity which Cyprus has demonstrated with the EU on this,” said the official.

“In light of the current problems it is not the time to extend a hand of friendship to Russia until it shows willingness to fulfill the Minsk agreement,” he added, referring to the agreement signed in the Belarus capital aimed at a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine.

But Anastasiades, who has felt let down by the West’s failure to come out strongly enough against Turkey’s violation of the island’s exclusive economic zone, on Thursday said “many of the friends” showing intense concern for other countries, had remained silent on Turkey’s violations, adopting a policy of double standards.

He said although he recognised the concerns of some countries over his Russia visit, Putin had not asked “for the slightest thing that would put us in a difficult position with our partners, or our partners across the Atlantic”.

“We [Russia and Cyprus] will cooperate without paying attention to who is reacting or who may have concerns”. Anastasiades is due back in Cyprus today Saturday. Hmmmm.....He's right By Allowing Turkey to terrorize everyone they pushed Cyprus in Putin's arms, the EU their quest for Cheap Iranian Gas flowing through Turkey will surely create more problems in the future. Read the full story here.


Related: Russia is reportedly getting military bases in EU member........CYPRUS?