CYPRUS WILL NOT ATTEND NAM MINISTERIAL IN KUALA

S E C R E T NICOSIA 000773 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/24/2021 TAGS: PREL AORC IAEA KNNP UNSC IR CY SUBJECT: CYPRUS WILL NOT ATTEND NAM MINISTERIAL IN KUALA LUMPUR REF: STATE 83216 Classified By: Ambassador Ronald L. Schlicher; reason 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (S) The Republic of Cyprus formally withdrew from the Non-Aligned Movement following its accession to the European Union in 2004. A mid-level MFA official did attend a NAM meeting in Jakarta after the ROC terminated its membership, but as a "guest" rather than an "observer." We confirmed with the MFA's Director of Multilateral Affairs, Sotos Liassides, that the GOC would not participate in the May 27-30 meeting in Kuala Lumpur (reftel). Therefore, we did not deliver reftel message on Iran. ¶2. (S) Liassides also told us that the ROC had been invited to participate -- again as "guest" -- at a NAM summit meeting in Havana in September. According to Liassides, the GOC has not yet decided whether to send a representative to that event. SCHLICHER