Consular services will be carried out to the Russian citizens who live in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

A telegram from the Russian state news agency TASS, citing an embassy spokesperson, stated that the Russian Embassy in Cyprus will shortly begin offering consular services in the Turkish-occupied north of the divided island. 

The action of putting consular services was taken at a time when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan redoubled his efforts to have the statelet on the island of Cyprus recognized internationally. Cyprus has been split since 1974 when the Turkish army seized the northern part of the island in retaliation for a Greek-backed coup.

In a very short time, they will begin offering consular services in the northern area of Nicosia. 

The source emphasized that this is about fulfilling the obligations of the Russian authorities to the citizens living in the northern part of Cyprus which is providing consular services and that the consular services will be carried out on a regular basis, the agency quoted the official as saying that the work would be done regularly. 

The unnamed Russian ambassador did in fact point out that a number of countries, including the US, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, and France, have their own diplomatic operations dealing with consular concerns in northern Cyprus.

The ambassador of the Russian Federation, Murat Zyazikov, stressed in a second report from Nicosia that the decision, which has been long overdue, has no political connotations and that it is solely governed by humanitarian reasons, to care for the Russian citizens who reside on the northern part of Cyprus.” 

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Ersin Tatar, the head of Northern Cyprus stated that Russia has started taking steps to open a consular services office. Britain already has a consular services office, so it won’t be a problem for them if Russia will do the same.

According to Tatar, who spoke to the Gundem Kibris newspaper that there are many Russians there, thus it’s natural that they will open a consular services office.

Tahsin Ertugruloglu, the foreign minister of the Turkish Cypriot community, stated to the station TRT Haber that Russia desires to establish an office to provide consular services for its citizens.

Over 50,000 Russian residents reportedly reside in the Turkish-occupied regions of the republic, based on some estimates, as reported by TASS. 

The Russian ambassador said that Russia’s position on the Cyprus issue has not changed. He stated that Russia “keeps on maintaining its fundamental position, continually promoting a thorough, viable, and fair resolution within the known international legal framework embodied in the UN Security Council resolutions.

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