Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06NICOSIA1835
2006-10-25 15:47:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Nicosia
Cable title:  

PRESIDENT'S DIKO PARTY COMPLETES FACELIFT

Tags:  PGOV PHUM PREL CY GR 
pdf how-to read a cable
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TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7114
INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA IMMEDIATE 4775
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C O N F I D E N T I A L NICOSIA 001835 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE, INR/B

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/24/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL CY GR
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT'S DIKO PARTY COMPLETES FACELIFT

Classified By: Ambassador Ronald Schlicher, Reason 1.4 (b)

C O N F I D E N T I A L NICOSIA 001835

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE, INR/B

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/24/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL CY GR
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT'S DIKO PARTY COMPLETES FACELIFT

Classified By: Ambassador Ronald Schlicher, Reason 1.4 (b)


1. (C) SUMMARY: On October 22, Armenian-Cypriot Marios
Karoyian became the leader of the centrist, ruling Democratic
Party (DIKO),handily defeating DIKO Deputy Leader Nicos
Cleanthous. At the party's helm Karoyian replaces RoC
President Tassos Papadopoulos, who stepped down two weeks
earlier to "make room for younger politicians." Immediately
after his election, Karoyian pledged to support
Papadopoulos's policies and re-election, and to strengthen
cooperation with DIKO's coalition partners. His election
completed the party's revitalization effort, which began in
2005 with the rise to power of several younger members. We
don't expect a policy one-eighty under Karoyian; DIKO likely
will stick to its uncompromising (and highly popular) hard
line vis-a-vis the Cyprus Problem. END SUMMARY.

Papadopoulos Resignation Opens Leadership Door
-------------- -


2. (SBU) Explaining he wanted to make room for aspiring DIKO
leaders and dedicate himself to running the nation, President
Papadopoulos resigned the party chairmanship in public
comments October 8. He rejected rumors that claimed he
sought to concentrate on preparing for the 2008 presidential
elections. Rivals and allies alike greeted the announcement
with disbelief, as most here are convinced Papadopoulos will
seek at least one more term in office.


3. (C) His resignation opened the door to Armenian-Cypriot
Marios Karoyian, 45, a Member of Parliament from Nicosia.
After a contentious campaign, Karoyian won the DIKO
presidency October 22 with a strong 62.6 percent of the vote,
against 37.4 percent for Nicos Cleanthous, deputy party
leader for the past eight years. Karoyian's election came as
no surprise, since he enjoyed support from both strong
factions within the party, the original members (otherwise
known as the pro-Kyprianou faction, after founder and former
RoC President Spyros Kyprianou) and the members of Tassos
Papadopoulos's Center Union party, which merged with DIKO in
the late 1980s. Karoyian, formerly a top aide of Kyprianou,

earlier had proven able to bridge the divide, winning
Papadopoulos's confidence and being appointed presidential
spokesman in 2003.


4. (U) Opposition press interpreted Karoyian's election as a
comeback for the pro-Kyprianou faction. Despite his easy
victory, they questioned whether Karoyian was simply a
transitional party administrator operating in the shadow of
President Papadopoulos. DIKO officials quickly dismissed
that analysis as an attempt to rekindle DIKO rivalries under
a divide-and-conquer strategy. Karoyian's election instead
was proof, they claimed, that the party was no longer plagued
by internal divisions; it backed Papadopoulos to the hilt.

If it Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It
--------------


5. (SBU) Karoyian has shown no intention of revising DIKO's
traditional, tested, and extremely popular hard-line policies
regarding the Cyprus issue. His first meeting as party
leader was with Papadopoulos; emerging, he announced his hope
the President would stand for re-election in 2008.
Karoyian's public statements have focused on grass-roots
politics -- giving the party a more appealing image,
attracting youth leaders, and bridging gaps between party
cadres. (DIKO began the overhaul last year, replacing 70
percent of its executive committee and placing youthful,
attractive candidates on its candidate lists. The changes
brought immediate dividends; in 2006 parliamentary elections,
DIKO won 17.9% of the vote, as compared to 14.8 percent in
2001.)

A Leader in Name Only?
--------------


6. (C) Maintaining and fortifying the three-party coalition
(DIKO, AKEL, EDEK) remain party priorities, Karoyian
announced. Many in media argue, however, that the election
of a center-right DIKO candidate like Karoyian weakens the
ideologically diverse alliance. Following this logic,
left-leaning Cleanthous, an early and ardent promoter of
DIKO-AKEL cooperation, was the better choice.


7. (C) Other analysts note Karoyian lacks his own DIKO
faction and therefore will rely heavily on Papadopoulos's
support. Virtually all expect him to maintain close ties to
the RoC president. Moreover, as a non-Greek Cypriot, it is
unlikely Karoyian will be able to forge a significant
personal power base; we judge that this likelihood appealed
to Papadopoulos, who wants as few would-be rivals as
possible.


8. (C) Karoyian allies appear few, since both existing DIKO
factions aspire to regain power shortly. The
heirs-in-waiting are Nicolas Papadopoulos (Tassos's son and a
current DIKO deputy) and Marcos Kyprianou (Spyros's son and
currently EU Health Commissioner.) Already, other parties
are seeking to capitalize on this rivalry in an effort to
cause maximum friction within the ruling coalition; we know
that some DISY leadership elements are urging Kyprianou to
seek the Presidency in 2008.

Comment:
--------------


9. (SBU) A mild mannered, affable and down-to-earth
politician, Karoyian attained success in DIKO the uncommon
way in Cyprus: through hard work, not family connections.
His political instincts are sound, and he has shown a knack
for making the right moves at the right time. Karoyian
survived several public spats with Papadopoulos during the
1990s, for example, and eventually won the then-DIKO leader's
confidence, something few contemporaries )- inside or out of
DIKO )- can say. Lacking a personal power base at the
moment, however, the newest DIKO chieftain will attempt to
maintain close relations with Papadopoulos, still the power
behind the party throne. Leaving major policy issues (read,
the Cyprus Problem) to the President, Karoyian instead will
focus on expanding DIKO's membership rolls and ensuring party
discipline in the run-up to the 2008 presidential elections.
End Comment.

Biographical Information:
--------------


10. (U) Karoyian was born in Nicosia in 1961. As a
university student, he studied political science in Italy,
eventually becoming president of the Cypriot Students' Union
in Perugia. Returning to the island, he became a member of
DIKO's central committee and, in 1997, won election to its
executive committee, the highest decision-making body of the
party. He was staff director for two Parliamentary
presidents, Alexis Galanos (1991-1996) and Spyros Kyprianou
(1996-2001.) Karoyian unsuccessfully ran in parliamentary
elections in 2001. In 2003, President Papadopoulos named him
director of the press office. He left that post in January
2006 to seek election to Parliament, winning a seat in May.
Karoyian is married to Marina Adamidou, a Parliament staffer,
and has two young children.
SCHLICHER