Russia ‘black cash’ allegations by senior British diplomat provoke livid row
The senior British diplomat within the divided island of Cyprus has provoked a second main row on the island by alleging that Russia is channelling black cash to keep away from sanctions into the northern a part of the island.
British High Commissioner to Cyprus Irfan Siddiq has infuriated the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) along with his allegations that it has turn into a focus for cash laundering significantly for Russia.
It is known that the feedback have angered Turkish President Recep Erdogan’s authorities and will come up in discussions with the prime minister at a future date.
It additionally created issues forward of casual talks in New York on the United Nations about Cyprus.
Speaking completely to Express.co.uk Ersin Tatar, the President of Northern Cyprus, who is because of be in New York for conferences on the UN, stated: “Where is his proof? It is absolutely outrageous he should make these claims about us.
“The allegations are fully unfaithful and it’s simply one other instance of [Siddiq’s] extraordinary bias to the Greek Cypriots.
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“I really do not understand why this man is so prejudiced against us. It is very disappointing.”
The President, who will not be formally recognised by the UK, added: “The British are supposed to be a guarantor power on Cyprus and listen to both sides but they seem to only take the Greek’s side at the moment.”
According to the Cypriot news outlet Ekathmerini.com, Siddiq stated “[The Republic of] Cyprus has a consensus to implement sanctions towards Russia to revive its status, however the Turkish-occupied north is a cash laundering black spot.
It reported that he stated “whereas questions on shady monetary practices within the Republic of Cyprus have been cleaned up, the issue was current within the Turkish-occupied north.”
Siddiq was replying to a question on money laundering allegations through the north of the island and the international community’s lack of sanctions on Turkey during a round-table discussion with foreign ambassadors at the 21st World Conference of Cyprus Diaspora.
However, the Foreign Office has disputed some of the claims in the news report but not the central claim that he had identified Northern Cyprus as a potentiual spot for money laundering by Russia and others.
An FCDO supply stated: “The UK’s coverage on Cyprus is long-standing, well-documented and stays unchanged, and we proceed to totally recognise the 1960 Treaty in regards to the Establishment of the Republic of Cyprus.
“The High Commissioner raised concerns about the problem of illicit finance in the ‘TRNC’ and the lack of cooperation from the authorities.
“He described this example as a ‘black gap’, not a ‘black spot’.
“He did not say that ‘shady financial practices in the RoC had been cleaned up’.
“He didn’t say that the UK ‘engaged with the authorities within the north to make sure the implications of those actions didn’t negatively impression the Republic’.”
Previously, Siddiq infuriated Turkish Cypriots by suggesting that they had lost their rights over Turkey’s intervention in 1974 which was seen in the north as an attempt to protect them from ethnic cleansing by Greek Cypriots.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when the Turkish army intervened after a coup in Cyprus saw Greek nationalists attempt to unite the island with Greece.
The fighting at the time saw Greek Cypriots attack Turkish Cypriots and the island has been divided since a truce was called in August that year.
The TRNC which declared independence in 1983, has not been recognised by the UK or the international community apart from Turkey and Cyprus, supported by the UN, claims the north part of the island is “occupied”.
However, the final severe try and create a federal answer on the island with a plan by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan was accepted by the TRNC however rejected by the Greek Cypriots in 2004.
Britain is a guarantor energy for the 2 communities and way forward for the island due to its earlier standing because the colonial energy as much as 1960 and continued possession of the 2 navy bases on the island.