CYPRUS PEACEKEEPING CONTINGENT WILL NOT INCREASE;

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 001042 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2014 TAGS: MARR PREL LO CY SUBJECT: CYPRUS PEACEKEEPING CONTINGENT WILL NOT INCREASE; MAY SHRINK REF: STATE 241068 Classified By: DCM Scott Thayer for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Radovan Javorcik, Deputy Director of the Security Policy Department at the MFA, told poloff November 16 that the GOS will not increase its commitment to the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP). The GOS will retain its position as a lead nation in sector three and the Slovak embassy will continue to support inter-ethnic talks for now. Javorcik mentioned "off the record" that the GOS may reduce its current 280-person commitment when the GOS finishes revising its strategic doctrines. He said the GOS would not substantially reduce its presence unless a new UNSCR prompted an overall reduction in the size of the UNFICYP. ¶2. (SBU) COMMENT: The GOS is currently redrafting its security and defense strategic documents. The GOS will evaluate its deployments abroad and set precise levels of ambition for each deployment. In part, this is an effort to move away from UN deployments and towards NATO- and EU-led deployments. END COMMENT. WEISER NNNN