Russia is not going to strike a bargain – recognizing Cyprus in exchange for Turkey’s recognizing Abkhazia and Sotuh Ossetia, stated RF Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who arrived for a two-day working visit to Sukhumi.

“Russia has never persuaded anyone to recognize Southy Osetia or Abkhazia, twisting their arms. We are not inclined to any exchanges – scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours. These are historically, morally and humanly different situations. There is no bargaining,” Lavrov said as quoted by Interfax.

If the United States, as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated, prevents other states from recognizing the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Russia will thwart any “attempts to impose a strange opinion” on other countries.