"Russia treats with respect the results of referendums, reflecting the free expression of will of the population of the two insular communities, done in keeping with the generally accepted democratic norms, and proceeds from the decisive say in determining the further fate of Cyprus belonging to the Cypriots - Greeks and Turks", the Russian Foreign Ministry stresses.
"It is important that in the two insular communities the desire for further work towards the attainment of a lasting peace and accord between them predominates", the Foreign Ministry notes.
Russia is ready to continue interaction with the Cyprus sides, just as with the other involved countries, in the interests of attainment of a viable and fair settlement in Cyprus on the basis of the corresponding United Nations resolutions and within the framework of the goodwill mission of the UN Secretary General, stresses the communique.
On April 24 the Greek and Turkish communities of Cyprus held separate referendums on the Cypriots' approach to the unification plan, submitted by the UN Secretary General, for settling the Cyprus problem. A considerable majority of Greek Cypriots - over 75 percent - have voiced themselves against the Annan plan, while 65 percent of the Turk Cypriot community have backed it.
Thus, on May 1 not a united Cyprus but only the internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus will join the European Union. It is significant that, before the referendums were held, the leaders of the two Cypriot communities were against unification, while Athens and Ankara backed, though with reservations, the UN plan.
