DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON MARCH 20 EU FOREIGN

C O N F I D E N T I A L NICOSIA 000433 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/2016 TAGS: PREL ECON ETRD SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON MARCH 20 EU FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING (GAERC) REF: SECSTATE 39905 Classified By: Ambassador Ronald L. Schlicher; Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. Post delivered reftel demarche on March 13 to relevant action officers at MFA. On Iraq, Charlambos Hadjisavvas agreed with the US position that the international community's first priority should be to encourage Iraqi political leaders to move ahead in forming a unified government. Stelios Makriyiannis told us that Cyprus supported the EU positions on the Sudan and Liberia. On the Balkans, Elena Rafti agreed that the Montenegro referendum process had produced a broad consensus that was positive for the stability of Serbia and thus, for the region. On Bosnia, Rafti remains skeptical that Venice Commission recommendations will be implemented before the October elections. ¶2. (C) Charlambos Hadjisavvas, who handles Middle East issues in the MFA's Office of Bilateral Affairs, reiterated the EU's condemnation of the bomb attacks in Samarra. He affirmed Cyprus' continued support for Iraqi political leaders to establish a unified government that includes Sunni participation. Hadjisavvas noted EU plans to establish an Iraq delegation, which would facilitate high-level contact with the future new government. ¶3. (C) Stelios Makriyiannis, who handles the Africa and Asia portfolios in the MFA's Office of Bilateral Affairs stressed that Cyprus' policy towards the Sudan was in line with that of the EU and the United States. He also confirmed EU support for the restoration of electrical power to Monrovia. ¶4. (C) Elena Rafti, who handles the Balkans in the MFA's European Affairs Division, agreed that the start of direct talks on decentralization in Kosovo was a positive development and noted that Serbian President Boris Tadic was upbeat about the progress during his official visit to Cyprus last week, noting that a peaceful and negotiated compromise was the key to stability for the entire Balkan region. She reiterated EU member-states support for both Belgrade and Pristina's Euro-Atlantic integration. On Montenegro, Rafti expressed satisfaction regarding the outcome of the Montenegro referendum process, which was a binding agreement by an overwhelming Parliament majority. For this reason, she agreed that any negative rhetoric from pro-independent factions would be of no consequence. On Bosnia, Rafti was hesitant to rush the implementation of any final agreement resulting from the Venice Commission recommendations and personally felt it was unrealistic to expect any reforms to be in effect before the October elections. SCHLICHER