DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON JANUARY 30 FOREIGN MINISTERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L NICOSIA 000118 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV CY SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON JANUARY 30 FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING (GAERC) REF: SECSTATE 11254 Classified By: Ambassador Ronald L. Schlicher; Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. Post delivered reftel demarche on 27 January to relevant action officers at the MFA. Charlambos Hadjisavvas agreed with US positions on the Middle East and called for Hamas to renounce violence. Elena Rafti concurred that best international practices must be observed in the Montenegro's upcoming referendum process. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Charlambos Hadjisavvas, who handles the Middle East, North Africa, and Euro-Mediterranean Partnership portfolios in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Political Affairs Division, noted that there was a common EU position calling on Hamas to renounce the use of force and terrorism. He believed that Hamas' success within the PA would depend on how it responded to the demands of the international community -- especially with regard to the use of violence. Hadjisavvas stressed Cyprus' support for international efforts to stabilize Iraq and reach out diplomatically to Iran. ¶3. (C) Elena Rafti, who handles the Balkans in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' European Affairs Division, agreed that procedural consensus was necessary for any referendum process to be successful in Montenegro. Rafti confirmed Cyprus' support for the Venice Commission conclusions, which call on the main political forces in Montenegro to agree on the majority required for the referendum to pass. On Kosovo, Rafti suggested that EU membership was the most effective incentive for keeping both Belgrade and Pristina engaged in talks. Cyprus was fully supportive of the Thessaloniki Agenda, which calls for the Western Balkans' integration into the EU. Rafti noted that the EU had not yet reached a common position regarding the nature of an international presence in Kosovo after the status talks. She admitted that Rugova's death was a blow to the negotiation process, but agreed that this process must, nevertheless, continue to move forward. SCHLICHER