BY SEMIH IDIZ
MILLIYET- As a new process is starting on Cyprus, I wonder what the role of Russia, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, will be in all this. You may remember that a year or two ago a report on Cyprus by then Secretary-General Kofi Annan about the reasons for the failure of efforts to find a solution there was blocked by Moscow. It's clear why Russia did this: it's the Greek Cypriots which ruined the process for a solution, and the Russians don't want Annan to make this official. This is concrete evidence that Moscow isn't impartial on the Cyprus issue. So how will Moscow act in the wake of the election of new Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias? If the Soviets Union hadn't ended, obviously, it would have coordinated with Christofias, who is a communist. But those days are over. Will it be able to be neutral in this new era? Or will it continue its partiality, as revealed by Annan's report? Actually Russia has a golden opportunity now to prove its impartiality and good will.
Even if we share the same border and the same blood, we have failed to follow events in one region, namely, the Caucasus. So a development there last week was largely ignored. Moscow lifted an embargo on Georgia's `separatist' province of Abkhazia imposed in 1996 at Georgia's request as part of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Of course, this step by Russia is related to Kosovo. Moscow, after failing to block Kosovo's independence, is trying to take revenge against the West this way. Obviously, whatever the reason, this step by Moscow made Abkhazian Turks living in Turkey very happy. Similarly, Irfan Argun, head of the Istanbul-based Caucasian-Abkhazia Solidarity Committee, expressed his happiness with a written statement. The statement showed the connection between Kosovo and Abkhazia as well. Argun wrote that they hope the gesture is a sign that a process recognizing Abkhazia's independence will start soon. Argun added that the biggest obstacle to the freedom of Abkhazians and their relatives abroad was removed this way. Argun said he hoped this would be good for their community.
Ankara, stuck between the Georgian and Caucasian/Abkhazian lobbies and also fighting its own separatists, isn't expected to say much on this issue. Actually if there had been a chance to say something, Russia could have been told that to be consistent it should also work to lift the international embargo on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). So I'd like to mention things Turkey can't say, as Turkey has to protect its regional interests. Meanwhile, by taking this step, Moscow will be serving its own citizens as well. Today many Russians visit our southern shores and Cyprus. Each impartial and positive step by Russia on the Cyprus issue will help promote a solution and expand investment possibilities and other opportunities for its own citizens. But if Russia is set on continuing its current pro-Greek Cypriot stance, based on very different political and economic interests, in other words, if it lacks an impartial stance on this issue, I think it would be better if it stayed out of the Cyprus issue entirely.