Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06NICOSIA1916
2006-11-09 13:41:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Nicosia
Cable title:  

MOLLER CALLS PARTIES ON THE CARPET AT UNFICYP

Tags:  PGOV PREL EUN UNFICYP TU CY 
pdf how-to read a cable
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PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHNC #1916/01 3131341
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 091341Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY NICOSIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7202
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0676
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).

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