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Russia ready to act as mediator to help resolve Cyprus issue, Lavrov says

Cyprus has been divided into two parts since the 1974 Turkish invasion of the northern part of the island

SOCHI, May 24. /TASS/. Moscow is ready to act as a mediator to help resolve the Cyprus issue based on the principles approved by the United Nations Security Council, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference on Monday.

"Should the parties wish, we are ready to act as a mediator based on the principles approved by the UN Security Council," he pointed out.

According to Lavrov, Moscow proceeds from the need to find a solution based on the existing UN Security Council resolutions, which call for talks aimed at creating a two-community and two-zone federation. "We have repeatedly clarified our position that it would be perfect to hand issues regarding security guarantees over to the five permanent members of the UN Security Council," the Russian top diplomat noted.

Cyprus has been divided into two parts since the 1974 Turkish invasion of the northern part of the island. As a result, Turkey took control of about 37% of the island’s territory where the Turkish Cypriot community formed the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in 1983, which is only recognized by Ankara. The southern part of the island remained under the control of the Republic of Cyprus, mostly populated by Greek Cypriots. The UN Security Council resolutions on Cyprus call for the formation of a two-zone and two-community federation, which is what the United Nations, the Greek Cypriot community supported by Athens and almost all of the international community insist on. However, Ankara and the Turkish Cypriot leadership believe that the federation agenda has petered out so the existence of two sovereign state entities need to be recognized.