MOLLER CALLS PARTIES ON THE CARPET AT UNFICYP

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NICOSIA 001916 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/09/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL EUN UNFICYP TU CY SUBJECT: MOLLER CALLS PARTIES ON THE CARPET AT UNFICYP BRIEFING REF: A. NICOSIA 1842 ¶B. NICOSIA 1812 Classified By: Ambassador Ronald L. Schlicher, reasons 1.4 (b and d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. In the course of a November 9 briefing to the local diplomatic corps, UNFICYP Chief Michael Moller frankly described the deadlock in the UN settlement process (ref a). Acknowledging that both sides have done their fair share of stonewalling over the past 40 years, SRSG Moller and his staff complained about foot-dragging over the UN's current bridging proposal, the ROC legislature's inquiry into UNDP "vote-buying" prior to the 2004 Annan Plan referendum (ref b),and the resulting atmosphere of recrimination and fear that has undermined civil society efforts in support of bicommunal reconciliation. SRSG Moller took the unusual step of openly asking local envoys to weigh in with GOC to urge more serious Greek Cypriot engagement with the UN. If disagreements over whether the UN's bridging proposal should be in writing could not be overcome "within a week," he would propose that the UN just "send the damn letter anyway" despite Greek Cypriot objections. In the longer term, the UN and international community were growing weary of supporting a settlement process to which neither side was fully committed. Moller said he would recommend SYG Annan's report on UNFICYP's December mandate renewal (the last of his tenure) use "clearer language" to warn that the UN's patience with the Cyprus problem was "not unlimited." END SUMMARY. A BRIEFING WITH A TWIST -------------- ¶2. (C) SRSG Moller and his staff conducted a briefing on overall UNFICYP operations for the entire Nicosia diplomatic corps on November 9. While the bulk of the meeting consisted of standard, twice-yearly updates on the whole range of UN-sponsored programs (EU-funded demining efforts, the Committee on Missing Persons, Civil Affairs activities in the Buffer Zone, et cetera),Moller also provided a frank and critical assessment of the current deadlock in the UN settlement process. ¶3. (C) Repeating what he had told the Ambassador in frequent bilateral meetings with us, Moller said that after balancing out endless petty objections from both sides, the UN had reached agreement with both parties over the substance of a "bridging proposal" that would lay out practical steps to implement the July 8 "Gambari Agreement." The problem, Moller told the assembled diplomats, was disagreement over the "delivery mechanism" -- the Turkish Cypriots wanted to see the proposal put forward in a letter, the Greek Cypriots objected to the presentation of a written text. Moller said that he would make an extra effort to overcome this paralyzing disagreement, but added that if the matter was not resolved "within a week at the latest" he would ask U/SYG Gambari to "send the damn letter anyway" over Greek Cypriot objections. ¶4. (C) Moller and his staff also stressed the deleterious effect of the Cypriot parliament's ongoing investigation into UNOPS funded programs. (COMMENT: This politically-motivated investigation, which has come to resemble a witch hunt, has resurrected spurious allegations that USG-funded UNOPS programs in 2004 and before were in fact underhanded efforts to "buy votes" in favor of the Annan Plan -- and were, in the words of one UN briefer, designed to undermine the interests of the Greek Cypriot community. END COMMENT.) This investigation appeared to be part of a broader and worrying Greek Cypriot policy trend -- including the refusal of the GOC to participate in any program where Turkish Cypriot "officials" were also present. ¶5. (C) The result was, as Moller put it, a "tit-for-tat" insistence by Turkish Cypriot authorities to exercise similar oversight over UN programs -- and a rising climate of fear in which NGOs and civil society groups, especially on the Greek Cypriot side, shied away from seeking funding from the UN or working with bicommunal partners. Not only did this hobble many worthwhile programs, Moller said, it also undermined the overall atmosphere of trust needed for a politically sustainable settlement process. He also said that the diplomatic corps in Nicosia should stand up for the rights of Cypriot citizens to be fully informed about and involved in the process and decisions that affect the future of their country. UN PATIENCE "NOT LIMITLESS" -------------- ¶6. (C) In an remarkable departure from the UN's usual aversion to finger-pointing, Moller asked meeting NICOSIA 00001916 002 OF 002 participants to weigh in with the GOC whenever possible to urge a change in attitude -- but added that Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots had also done their fair share of stonewalling in the 40 years of UNFICYP's existence. The cumulative effect, he suggested, was frustration and fatigue with the Cyprus problem, which the UN and international community appeared to have a greater interest in solving than either of the parties. ¶7. (C) Moller noted that the SYG's upcoming report on UNFICYP's December mandate renewal would be Kofi Annan's last, and suggested it presented a perfect opportunity document the UN's concerns. Moller said he would recommend to the SYG that the report use "clearer language" to express that the UN's patience with the Cyprus problem -- and its willingness to continue spending money and energy to solve it -- would "not be limitless." COMMENT -------------- ¶8. (C) Moller's briefing demonstrates (even if the Turks don't believe it) that he is an even-handed mediator who is not in the thrall of either side. But it remains to be seen whether Moller's briefing can conjure up sufficient external pressure to unstick UN settlement talks. He faces an uphill task; Turkish shilly-shallying over the Finnish proposal has played into Greek Cypriot hands by drawing attention away from Papadopoulos's current foot-dragging with the UN. Serious engagement by Ankara on the parallel, but interlocking, EU and UN tracks is the only way to force Papadopoulos to take a clear, attributable yes-or-no stance in either forum. END COMMENT. SCHLICHER