Cyprus Russia even closer ties?

[Devil]

Once again, our dearly beloved Prez is cocking a snook at the EU

[WHL]

Getting closer with Russia is a good thing for Cyprus in my opinion, Cyprus needs every cent of investment, work for the locals etc etc..just more scaremongering from the OP.

[WHL]

Any one who has been in the military for a number of years has been taught to Hate the Russians..so il take their views on Russia, with a ton of salt.

[Devil]

Getting closer with Russia is a good thing for Cyprus in my opinion, Cyprus needs every cent of investment, work for the locals etc etc..just more scaremongering from the OP.

CY would get a helluva lot more investment if it sold itself to the EU, rather than prostitute itself to Russia.
(PS I'm not in the military)

[WHL]

Getting closer with Russia is a good thing for Cyprus in my opinion, Cyprus needs every cent of investment, work for the locals etc etc..just more scaremongering from the OP.

CY would get a helluva lot more investment if it sold itself to the EU, rather than prostitute itself to Russia.
(PS I'm not in the military)

Prostitute it self to Russia. .. What a ridiculous comment..Cyprus already does alot of trade with Europe..It can surely trade with both?... take the thousands of Russians who are living in Cyprus now,they are putting money into the economy, especially in Limassol which is now thriving and on the up, unlike alot of Europeans who live here and which quite alot of them have no work and are claiming benefits....

[WHL]

Lets not mention the Billions of pounds worth of trade,the UK does with Russia every year, we wouldnt want to be called Prostitutes would we or even still Hypocrites

[boycott]

WHL, What a ridiculous comment - especially in Limassol which is now thriving and on the up, unlike alot of Europeans who live here and which quite alot of them have no work and are claiming benefits....

I take it you can show us all your evidence that a lot of Europeans live here and have no work and are claiming benefits.

Yes in Limassol there is a great deal of building work of multi story luxury flats/apartments/offices but just how many Russians are going to buy them all when the starting prices are something like €2m!

[WHL]

The luxury houses/apartments are being build especially for the Russian market...as for the unemployed eastern Europeans, ....I drive pass the social office in Larnaca every day before it opens, there are two entrances....one where you go in to pay your social the other where you claim benefits etc...the first one has a line to pay in, I go line up every three months to pay my social because im self employed, in the other entrance the majority are mainly eastern Europeans claiming benefits, thats my evidence most of these people were in the building trade, and their work dried up, hopefully the injection of Russian cash will help these people get work.

[WHL]

You really haven't read the article have you? It's not about Russians buying houses..or about Russian cash....it's about the influence Russia is gaining over Cyprus and a move by the Cypriot Government to cosy up the Russian administration possibly at the expense of its EU partnership..catch up.

I certainly have read it, no need to be pompous is there....you think by Cyprus being friendly with Russia, we will see Russian troops goosestepping around Nicosia I dont I see Russian investment only helping Cyprus, and its workforce, especially coming out of the recent financial crises,...I understand that you have a deep mistrust of the Russians, your background influences your thinking, but for the rest of us, we haven't been brainwashed and can take a more balanced view, so we will never agree on this ...

[Devil]

Why should we trust a nation that openly empire-builds (eg Crimea, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, etc.) by illegal annexation?

Why should we trust a nation that openly uses Cyprus as a money-laundering centre?

Ministers are considering taking action against Cyprus, claiming that the country breached money-laundering rules when it helped Moscow with a politically motivated lawsuit.

[WHL]

Why should we trust a nation that openly empire-builds (eg Crimea, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, etc.) by illegal annexation?

Why should we trust a nation that openly uses Cyprus as a money-laundering centre?

Ministers are considering taking action against Cyprus, claiming that the country breached money-laundering rules when it helped Moscow with a politically motivated lawsuit.

If that was the case why should we trust any nation, every nation is as bent as a nine bob note, maybe you could tell us a nation that is squeaky clean?

[josef k]

Why should we trust a nation that openly empire-builds (eg Crimea, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, etc.) by illegal annexation?

Britain had the greatest empire the world has ever known. Are you implying that all those "subject nations" joined it voluntarily?

The fact is that the majority of those in Crimea and eastern Ukraine think of themselves as Russian and wanted to return to be part of Russia. All those from those areas, that I have as friends, think this.

But back to the initial subject, having good relations with Russia is a good thing for Cyprus. The Russians provide much more investment than any EU country, and those living here are closely engaged with Cypriot society. Much more so than the UK for example.

[josef k]

Not links, just friends from Russia and Ukraine who express their views in conversation. I have no strong views on the Ukraine situation, other than a belief that it is the right of a population to determine it's own future (I am reminded of Scotland and Catalonia in this respect).

You may recall that Russia has been a close friend of Cyprus for decades now and is nothing new. As to political ties, the current party of government in Cyprus is DISY, which can roughly be equated to the UK's Conservative party, so they are hardly natural political bedfellows. But nobody is suggesting closer political ties. What is being worked through is increased trade and joint innovation, development etc. All these will be to Cyprus' benefit. Note the cancer hospital referred to on another thread as a concrete example.

[WHL]

A would trust Putin anytime over someone like Blair...Bush..Clinton.. and a whole bunch of our western Pseudo Democratic leaders.

[josef k]

My point was that when Russia annexed the Crimea it was with the blessing of the population there. They wanted to be part of Russia again as they were prior to being forced into Ukraine in 1954.

Cyprus having a defence agreement with Russia isn't surprising. After all, it has such agreements with nearly all its neighbouring countries such as Israel, Egypt and Lebanon, and is expected to sign an agreement with Jordan. There are also agreements with European countries such as Italy, France and a pending one with Germany. Oh, and don't forget the ones with the USA and UK. Russia will have to join a queue to gain "influence" methinks.

On the broader point, show me a significant country that hasn't a history of invasion/annexation. I think of China and Taiwan or Nepal, the USA with Grenada, the UK with half the planet. I could go on but I am sure you get my point.

[Poppy]

I know some very nice Russian people but I think Putin and his gang are frightening. What about the hideous poison case a few years ago where the poor man died a hideous and painful drawn out death in the UK. I also seem to remember a case many years ago in Paphos - possibly 2005 where there was a murder at Coral Bay and the person was beheaded and I am sure that was alleged to be down to the Russian Government ?
To my mind too much influence is scary and not sure how it sits with the EU.

[WHL]

Not as bad as Blairs war crimes, thousands of innocents killed.

[Poppy]

I think Blair and Putin are vastly different. I agree that Blair was responsible for war crimes but I think it was down to stupidity rather than murderous intent even though I detest the man. Putin knows exactly what he is doing and I believe him to be evil.

[WHL]

A stupid Evil man and a clever Evil man.....Evil is Evil.

[Devil]

Patroclos, in today's Coffeeshop has Putin's measure

http://cyprus-mail.com/2017/10/29/tales ... kyproulla/