TFLE01: GOVERNMENT OF CYPRUS ON U.S.-ASSISTED

C O N F I D E N T I A L NICOSIA 001253 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/02/2016 TAGS: AEMR CASC MARR PINS PREL CY LE SUBJECT: TFLE01: GOVERNMENT OF CYPRUS ON U.S.-ASSISTED ARRIVALS FROM LEBANON REF: A. A) STATE 124163 ¶B. B) NICOSIA 1208 Classified By: DCM JANE B. ZIMMERMAN; REASON 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (SBU) Summary: DCM met with Homer Mavrommatis, MFA's Consular Affairs Director, the Cyprus Police, and Civil Defense on August 1 to discuss the status of U.S.-assisted arrivals in Cyprus from Lebanon and post's plans to vacate the Cyprus International Fairgrounds facility. Mavrommatis reminded DCM that Lebanese who remained in Cyprus after the last U.S.-chartered flight departed on August 2 would be the responsibility of the U.S. government until their departure from the island. He also promised police and immigration support at the Fairgrounds on August 1, in an effort to document and possibly extend temporary visas for those who were not granted U.S. parole or able to board the last U.S. chartered flight. Finally, the officials thanked DCM for continued U.S. cooperation and for the supplies at the Fairgrounds scheduled to be donated to Cypriot Civil Defense o/a August 4. End summary. -------------- Closing the Fairgrounds -------------- ¶2. (SBU) In an August 1 meeting with Homer Mavrommatis, MFA's Consular Affairs Director, the Cyprus Police, and Civil Defense Commissioner Christos Kyriakides, DCM said that the U.S. Government had assisted the departure of approximately 10,500 of the 13,600 people it had transported to Cyprus from Lebanon. Of the remainder, the Embassy had indications that many had pre-existing travel arrangements or had chosen to fund their own travel to the United States, the Middle East and/or Europe. Also among the remainder were family members of U.S. citizens who had applied for humanitarian parole into the United States -- most of whom were currently staying at the Fairgrounds. A majority of these applications had been approved, but Embassy believed that somewhere around 25-30 would be denied (though U.S. immigration law does allow an appeals process). Around four to five of the denials would likely involve people with limited means. ¶3. (C) DCM explained that the last U.S.-chartered flight would depart Cyprus at 0200L August 2. Decisions on humanitarian parole should be given to remaining applicants at the Fairgrounds on August 1. Embassy planned to transport all of those approved for travel to the United States to the airport late August 1, and afterwards would conclude its operations at the Fairgrounds. Our lease there would be terminated on Friday, August 4. For people who were not granted parole into the United States, Embassy would provide a list of budget hotels and travel agents, and one last bus ride to central Nicosia and/or transportation hubs. Embassy would also continue to provide consular services to U.S. citizens who chose to remain with their family members. DCM reiterated that many of these people were already making alternative arrangements for return travel to Lebanon or to other destinations where they had family ties. Embassy had informed all of them that they would not be allowed to remain in Cyprus. If some were to end up staying, however, DCM told Mavrommatis that the USG intended to reimburse the GOC for its costs in deporting them, as per reftel A. ¶4. (SBU) Over the next few days, Embassy would continue cleaning and preparing the Fairgrounds for hand over to the GOC, tentatively scheduled for August 4. The USG would donate the following supplies to the GOC: 36,000 MREs, 1,939 cots, 5,200 bottles of water, 1,153 health and comfort kits, 2 portable shower units, 2,600 blankets, 7,000 sheets, 6,600 towels, and 4,500 pillows. DCM thanked the GOC for its outstanding cooperation and overwhelming support and donations from the Cypriot people. -------------- -------------- Mavrommatis: Cypriot Immigration Will Document Those Who Stay Behind -------------- -------------- ¶5. (C) Mavrommatis asked whether a majority of non-U.S.-assisted arrivals were Lebanese, and reminded DCM that those who remained in Cyprus after the last U.S.-chartered flight departure were the responsibility of the U.S. government until they left the island. He said it would be good to keep all of them together (perhaps in the same hotel),since their current immigration status in Cyprus was irregular. The GOC would want to monitor their status closely, since the UNHCR still considered arrivals from Lebanon to be internally displaced. The GOC had to date received six applications for asylum from Lebanese (who arrived in Cyprus without U.S. assistance). DCM told Mavrommatis that the UNHCR had visited the Fairgrounds and that we welcomed their cooperation. She stressed that the Embassy was no longer authorized to pay for hotels or shelter, and that we lacked the authority to require people to stay together. Mavrommatis agreed that the Cypriot Police would work with RSO to coordinate August 1 visits to the Fairgrounds by Cypriot police and immigration officials to document those who will remain behind, and possibly to extend their temporary visa status in Cyprus on a humanitarian basis. He specifically requested a list of those who were not granted parole and remained in Cyprus. ¶6. (SBU) Mavrommatis said the GOC is considering implementing a special kind of passport departure stamp for those arriving from Lebanon. The GOC has not yet been able to implement this, and therefore did not have accurate statistics on the number of Lebanese transiting the island. The GOC has had very few inquiries from Lebanese to the Welfare Services, and no indications of large concentrations of Lebanese staying in particular areas. The GOC felt that many Lebanese were dual nationals who had left Cyprus by their own means. Similarly, if a future wave of displaced persons were to arrive from Lebanon, the GOC expected that many would again be dual nationals. Still, the GOC was working on an over-arching plan to accommodate future arrivals if the need should arise. ¶7. (C) Mavrommatis asked whether the United States had returned any people to Lebanon by ship, to which DCM responded negatively (though we had provided some transport to Beirut for foreign government officials -- such as consular officials). Finally, he asked whether we expected future waves of U.S. citizens, to which DCM responded that our Embassy in Beirut had estimated that the large majority of those who wanted to leave had left. DCM explained that the USG had ended contracts with civilian ships and that U.S. naval ships were no longer assisting American citizens to depart Lebanon. She pointed out that future arrivals were expected to be in much smaller numbers via helicopter. Mavrommatis thanked DCM and requested that we stay in touch to provide advance notice of any new arrivals, particularly of any wounded. The GOC very much valued our positive cooperation on this matter. ¶8. (U) Mavrommatis agreed that a time for a handover ceremony at the Fairgrounds on Friday, August 4, should be set with Civil Defense, the Fairgrounds Director and the Embassy and that he would confirm GOC participation according to the Foreign Minister's schedule (though he said the Minister of Interior would likely participate if the Foreign Minister could not attend). -------------- GOC Delighted with Donations -------------- ¶9. (U) Cypriot Civil Defense Commissioner Kyriakides asked a series of logistical questions, including the largest number accommodated at one time at the fairgrounds, the precise number of cots being donated, and the location of supplies. He thanked DCM for the valuable donation and said that Cyprus very much needed it. SCHLICHER