Intervention in the Mediterranean: why Russia is determined to keep Cyprus

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The island of Cyprus, due to its geographical position, plays an important role in the balance of power in the eastern Mediterranean. Many countries seek to use this small but important piece of land for their geopolitical purposes, including Russia. The British newspaper The Times writes about it.

So, this week, to commemorate the anniversary of Cyprus gaining independence from Great Britain in 1960, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov paid a visit to Nicosia. The Russian Federation and Cyprus signed several agreements on taxation, the most interesting was the offer of the Russian side to act as an intermediary in the settlement economic disagreements between Cyprus and Turkey.



Moscow and Nicosia have long-standing cultural and economic relations. The USSR helped Cyprus when the latter gained sovereignty from the British crown. In 2015, the countries signed an agreement on the deployment of Russian warships and fighters on the island. There are many Russians living in Cyprus who bought real estate there at one time - some of them are oligarchs who keep in touch with the Kremlin

- say analysts of The Times, speaking about the reasons for the desire of the Russian Federation to keep Cyprus.

Political instability around Cyprus, in which NATO allies are teetering on the brink of conflict - something that Putin likes to use to increase the scope for Russian intervention

- said the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Northern Cyprus Kudret Ozersay, hinting at the far-reaching geopolitical plans of the Kremlin with respect to Cyprus.

Since the Europeans have failed in an attempt to mediate between Turkey and Cyprus, new horizons are opening up for Russia in this regard, especially in the context of the regional confrontation between Moscow and Washington.

- believes Erol Kaymak, professor of international relations at the Eastern Mediterranean University in Cyprus.
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18 comments
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  1. 123
    +2
    11 September 2020 15: 38
    Where is Cyprus?

    Especially in the context of the regional confrontation between Moscow and Washington.

    They were told - we will introduce a tax and there will be no offshore. Now they are blocking sanctions against Belarus, citing the EU's refusal to impose sanctions on Turkey. It would be nice to squeeze the British out of there. That's all.
    1. 0
      11 September 2020 18: 59
      Quote: 123
      It would be nice to squeeze the British out of there. That's all.

      It's like expelling Biden from Ukraine. laughing
      Greek Cyprus is tightly tied by its budget to British military bases. Offshore is just an additional cherry on the cake of affection for the British.
      1. 123
        0
        11 September 2020 19: 37
        It's like expelling Biden from Ukraine.
        Greek Cyprus is tightly tied by its budget to British military bases. Offshore is just an additional cherry on the cake of affection for the British.

        Maybe, for a change, the Englishwoman should shit too? winked
        1. 0
          12 September 2020 19: 30
          How are Ukrainians Russian? belay
          1. 123
            0
            12 September 2020 19: 43
            Like an Englishwoman. An Englishwoman and a Galician are two big differences. Ukraine shits so much that half of them flows into their own trousers. This experience does not suit us.
            1. +1
              12 September 2020 20: 09
              Well, it's the same there. If you screw up the British, the Cypriots themselves will have to slurp for a long time. For all energy is based on fuel oil. Pryvozny. And you have to pay for it. The British are still paying. Billions offshore - just for the salaries of officials.
              By the way, the average Greek Cypriot is the richest owner in the world. 250 thousand euros for a Greek nose. Richer than a Monegasque and a Luxembourgian.
              1. 123
                0
                12 September 2020 20: 42
                Well, it's the same there. If you screw up the British, the Cypriots themselves will have to slurp for a long time. For all energy is based on fuel oil. Pryvozny. And you have to pay for it. The British are still paying. Billions offshore - just for the salaries of officials.

                Interestingly, more than 40% of the economy is at the expense of Russia, and the British pay. Do local officials have such big salaries?
                1. 0
                  13 September 2020 11: 33
                  Don't mix economics and budget. The turnover of offshore companies can be billions, but taxes are not higher than 6% on the PROFIT. There are no taxes on property (because it is abroad), on land (because nothing is worth on Cypriot land). As a result, from huge turnovers - to the budget crumbs (albeit multimillion-dollar). But the payment for military bases - directly into the budget (hundreds of millions). Guaranteed every year.

                  Expenditures in the coming year are expected to amount to 7,6 billion euros and revenues to 8,5 billion. Of these, 3,5 billion will be collected through taxes on production (2,21 billion euros - direct taxes, 3,4 billion - indirect). The amount of 2,1 billion euros will be received in the form of taxes on capital gains, 97,6 million euros - from taxes on income from real estate, and 729,5 million euros - as taxes on other income.

                  Our cities exist mainly on property taxes. In Cyprus - so, a small bonus.
                  1. 123
                    0
                    13 September 2020 11: 45
                    But the payment for military bases - directly into the budget (hundreds of millions). Guaranteed every year.

                    It is necessary to make Cyprus an advantageous offer +2 Russian bases (VKS + Navy) -1 English. And if not, turn off the gas, we will close the tap offshore.
                    1. 0
                      13 September 2020 11: 50
                      Well, it is high time to close the offshore tap, at least for housing and communal services companies, regardless of the bases.
                      And 3% of the territory of Cyprus under British control is not to frighten the Chinese Far East.

                      Akrotiri and Dhekelia occupy about 3% of the area of ​​the island of Cyprus. 60% of the land is owned by Cypriot citizens or British nationals, and 40% is owned by the British Crown Department of Defense.
                      1. 123
                        0
                        13 September 2020 11: 52
                        I didn't understand the message. request
                      2. 0
                        13 September 2020 11: 55
                        The land under the bases is ALREADY British property, private or state. The Chinese in the Far East are on bird rights.
                      3. 123
                        +2
                        13 September 2020 13: 27
                        Own? Whom and when did it stop? You can always change the "rules of the game" so that the owners frantically begin to get rid of this very property. And is there no other land besides the territory of the base? The fact that the land is privately owned by Cypriots is a somewhat strange argument. If necessary, the land is redeemed, confiscated, nationalized, and so on. What have the Chinese in the Far East got to do with it - it is generally not clear. Are they going to build a base here?
                      4. 0
                        13 September 2020 14: 36
                        Quote: 123
                        What have the Chinese in the Far East got to do with it?

                        Well, the scarecrow lies in the fact that the Chinese WILL take away Russian land. Without our consent. The British took away land from Cyprus, paying some compensation, which is very significant in the country's budget.
                      5. 123
                        +1
                        13 September 2020 15: 09
                        Quite a strange comparison. I am trying to understand what these fears are based on.
                        Why exactly the Chinese? There are no other candidates for land weaning? Or are the actions of the Chinese somehow different from other countries?
                        The British "SELECTED" the territory of Cyprus because they signed an agreement. Is Russia going to sign something similar with China?
                      6. +1
                        14 September 2020 07: 20
                        Cyprus was English as a result of the First World War. Like almost the entire Middle East. Hirohito and Hitler pretty much patted the British lion that the empire shrank to the islands. But the British kept tidbits of foreign lands for themselves. Without any agreements. Malvinas Islands, Cyprus, Diego Garcia. And while there is enough strength not to give someone else's. request
                        Well, and China scares us those who have lost their sovereignty, having given foreign policy, defense, foreign economic ties to the white Sahibs.
  2. 0
    12 September 2020 09: 28
    In 2015, the countries signed an agreement on the deployment of Russian warships and fighters on the island.

    Is that humor? Well, the President of Cyprus once blurted out ... It was generally about the rules for the entry of Navy ships. There is no deployment of warships and aircraft in Cyprus.
  3. -1
    13 September 2020 19: 07
    The Kremlin lads will not give up Cyprus, they wash the grandmother there (: