The 'pragmatic idealism' of Russia's post-cold war policy towards Cyprus
Date
2012Author
Melakopides, CostasSource
Cyprus ReviewVolume
24Pages
71-97Google Scholar check
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Stereotypically, Moscow's policies towards Cyprus, like those of the UK and the US, have been treated diachronically via the hegemonic analytical paradigm, especially during the Cold War, namely 'Political Realism'. And yet, primarily since 1991 - but arguably even earlier - Moscow's Cyprus policies have been quite distinct, being marked by such 'idealistic' characteristics, as sustained support for the UN Resolutions, for international law (including respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity) and international ethics (including solidarity, protection of human rights, and opposition to illegality and injustice). Therefore, whereas the 'power-political' reading of Washington and London's Cyprus policies remains valid, the identical reading of Moscow's policies needs to be transcended. Thus, the concept of 'Pragmatic Idealism', first introduced regarding Canadian foreign policy, is applied here to the sui generis Russia-Cyprus relationship which, after all, has been thoroughly affected by historical, political, religious, cultural, and axiological affinities and bonds.