Cyprus signs military deal to let Russian navy ships dock

AP (yahoo) ^

[baltimorepoet]

Cyprus on Wednesday signed a deal with Russia allowing its navy ships to make regular port calls on the divided Mediterranean island.

The deal with European Union member Cyprus, which also hosts British military bases, comes amid strong Russia-West tensions over Ukraine, the worst since the Cold War times.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said after Wednesday's talks with visiting Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades that the agreement primarily refers to Russian navy ships involved in international counter-terrorism and anti-piracy efforts. He added that military cooperation between Russia and Cyprus isn't directed against any third party.

[baltimorepoet]

The game is afoot.

[boycott]

It sure puts them in the middle of it.

[Always A Marine]

We shouldn't try to read more into this than is really there. The article describes an agreement to allow port calls, not any basing of ships and sailors. This translates to brief stops, with the meter running, to purchase fuel and provisions, perform routine maintenance, and allow liberty for sailors. It's good business for the port's local economy. The USN makes port calls all over the world, and I enjoyed quite a few of them.

I suspect the reason for formalizing this existing agreement is that Russia is protecting the status quo from expected US/EU pressure on Cyprus to end the practice and effectively close the Mediterranean to Russia (since the Syrian chaos makes the future of its leased base at Tartus questionable). The only thing new about this arrangement is the signatures.

[Lorianne]

It’s kind of up to the Greeks this week to possibly opt out of that farcical deal. They have at least two other present options: return to being a sunwashed semi-medieval backwater of olive farmers, shepherds, and inn-keepers, or perhaps lease out some cozy corner of their vast Mediterranean coastline to the Russian navy for enough annual walking-around money to keep the lights on for the aforementioned farmers, shepherds, and inn-keepers.

http://kunstler.com/clusterfuck-nation/how-goes-the-war/

[baltimorepoet]

By supporting Orthodox Greeks against Islamic Turkey, Russia could shear off the southeast corner of NATO. If Russia could stir up a war between Greece and Turkey and then support Greece, Article 5 really wouldn’t apply.

Turkey knows why they are excluded from the EU. If the Russians break the EU and NATO, a major strategic goal is achieved for Russia.

I would suspect that the Russians would not mind having Naval bases in Crete, Cyprus and the Greek mainland in addition to what they have in Crimea and Syria.

[GeronL]

Russia would definitely do that! The evil empire is back

[baltimorepoet]

Russia would definitely do that! The evil empire is back A leaner and meaner evil empire is back. The Russians threw off the mostly Muslim sections that would have metastasized within the USSR. (Imagine the US throwing off the most liberal sections) I would expect the Russians to try to get other Orthodox branches to align with them... it is like Clash of Civilizations. Turkey is an odd man out... not fully Muslim, definitely not European. Expect the Russians to full take advantage of wedge-driving. I am wondering if Russia and China have either tacit or secret formal agreements to divide Eurasia into separate spheres of influence, sort of like how Portugal and Spain dividing up the world.

[GeronL]

Russia has no love for Christians outside of the Russian Orthodox Church either, it is pretty much the state church - big on government, lean on religion