Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08NICOSIA103
2008-02-13 09:07:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Nicosia
Cable title:  

CYPRUS SUPPORTS LEBANON, BUT WON'T ISSUE PUBLIC

Tags:  KDEM PGOV PREL PHUM EFIN EINV CY 
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VZCZCXYZ0003
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHNC #0103 0440907
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 130907Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY NICOSIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8558
INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 3980
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5130
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4290
UNCLAS NICOSIA 000103 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/ ELA ANN SOMERSET,MATTHEW IRWIN,ALLISON MONZ

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KDEM PGOV PREL PHUM EFIN EINV CY
SUBJECT: CYPRUS SUPPORTS LEBANON, BUT WON'T ISSUE PUBLIC
STATEMENTS ABOUT SYRIA OR IRAN OR CEASE TRAVEL TO SYRIA

REF: SECSTATE 10786

UNCLAS NICOSIA 000103

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/ ELA ANN SOMERSET,MATTHEW IRWIN,ALLISON MONZ

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KDEM PGOV PREL PHUM EFIN EINV CY
SUBJECT: CYPRUS SUPPORTS LEBANON, BUT WON'T ISSUE PUBLIC
STATEMENTS ABOUT SYRIA OR IRAN OR CEASE TRAVEL TO SYRIA

REF: SECSTATE 10786


1. Per reftel, PolOff on February 11 demarched MFA Middle
East Desk Officer Dionysis Dionysiou to request urgent
Cypriot support for Lebanon and to urge the RoC to condemn
publicly Iran and Syria's interference there. In response,
Dionysiou promised to forward to appropriate MFA officials
our specific request that the RoC contribute to the Special
Tribunal for Lebanon, and commented favorably on the
initiative. He outlined prior Cypriot contributions to
Lebanon, which he deemed significant; the RoC in 2007-08 had
disbursed 1 million USD for development assistance under the
UN Habitat program, and 20,000 USD in assistance to the LAF.
Dionysiou was non-commital regarding possible RoC grants to
Lebanon to help cover foreign debt payments, however.


3. Turning to other elements of the demarche, Dionysiou noted
that the RoC did not intend to issue public statements
condemning Syrian and Iranian interference in Lebanon, nor
would it implement a ban on senior-level travel to Syria. He
claimed that allegations that those countries were meddling
in Lebanon were "unproven." As such, the RoC would stick to
a more generic "no interference by neighboring countries"
admonition when issuing public statements about Lebanon. It
was important to keep the dialogue open with Syria and Iran,
Dionysious concluded, and banning travel there was not
constructive.
SCHLICHER