TFLE01 SITREP: EMBASSY NICOSIA SUPPORT FOR

S E C R E T NICOSIA 001166 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR BEIRUT TASK FORCE E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/19/2016 TAGS: AEMR ASEC KPAO CMGT LE CY KFLO CASC AMGT SUBJECT: TFLE01 SITREP: EMBASSY NICOSIA SUPPORT FOR LEBANON, JULY 18, 2006, 1445 Classified By: Ambassador Ronald L. Schlicher, reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (S) Combined Task Force (CTF) Brigadier General Jensen advised post at 1430 that Akrotiri air base cannot be used for the NEO's Beirut air bridge (BAB) after July 18. Embassy Nicosia is working with the CTF to relocate the BAB to either Larnaca International Airport or Paphos International Airport for continued operations July 19. ¶2. (SBU) MV Orient Queen (capacity 800) left Larnaca for Beirut on July 18 at 11:25 local time carrying 184 passengers including: 158 Lebanese, 1 U.S. citizen, 3 Belgians, 3 Brazilians, 6 Canadians, 1 Colombian, 1 Ethiopian, 1 French, 2 Japanese, 5 Palestinians, 1 Romanian, 1 Syrian, and 1 Swiss. Crew manifest is forthcoming but preliminary estimate is 170, including 67 Lebanese. ¶3. (S) Government of Cyprus (GOC) requests that Embassy Beirut contact Cypriot CDA in Beirut, Kyriacos Konos, at 357-99-212-427 regarding possibility of Cypriot nationals boarding the Orient Queen upon its arrival in Beirut. ¶4. (S) GOC has indicated that it may request U.S. help in facilitating departure from Cyprus of potential asylum seekers who were among those who disembarked the Orient Queen July 18; more information to follow. ¶5. (SBU) Embassy Nicosia has received a total of 110 U.S. citizens from Lebanon, including 11 who arrived via helicopter on July 16; 53 who arrived on July 17; 9 who arrived via ship on July 17 (7 on the MV Orient Queen); and 37 who arrived via ship on July 18. Embassy Nicosia facilitated the departure from Cyprus of approximately 36 U.S. citizens on July 18. ¶6. (U) Embassy Nicosia has established three control rooms: Embassy Nicosia Task Force (357) 22-393-366; Larnaca control room at the Palm Beach Hotel (357) 24-815-352 or (357) 24-815-374; Limassol control room (357) 25-828-087 or (357) 25-828-092. Embassy officers are also currently dispatched to the Larnaca airport and the Larnaca seaport. Currently 39 TDY personnel on the ground or en route to Nicosia. ¶7. (U) Embassy Public Affairs Section is liaising between press and U.S. citizens arriving from Lebanon; four U.S. citizens planned to be interviewed on Good Morning America at 1400 local time. CTF Commander General Jensen was also scheduled to be interviewed at 1300 local time. ¶8. (S) 132 more U.S. citizens are expected July 18 via helicopter arriving Akrotiri airbase 1400-1500,and 400 are expected via ship July 18 evening. ¶9. (SBU) Nicosia Task Force is now developing through-put strategy for up to 2,000 arrivals per day of U.S. citizens from Lebanon. ¶10. (U) Larnaca airport is increasingly busy. Embassy ECON section is maintaining contact with GOC officials and airlines in an effort to smooth re-routing of reservations. We are exploring the option of using Paphos International Airport as well. ¶11. (U) Please inform Embassy Nicosia of additional parties wishing to receive these sitreps at NCSTaskforce@state.gov. SCHLICHER