Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08NICOSIA44
2008-01-18 13:14:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Nicosia
Cable title:
CYPRUS SUPPORTS DEPLOYMENT OF ESDP MISSION TO CHAD
how-toVZCZCXRO6073 RR RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHNC #0044 0181314 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 181314Z JAN 08 FM AMEMBASSY NICOSIA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8517 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1054 RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO BRUSSELS BE 0046 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
C O N F I D E N T I A L NICOSIA 000044
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/RPM, EUR/ERA, EUR/SE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/16/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV EUN CD CY TU
SUBJECT: CYPRUS SUPPORTS DEPLOYMENT OF ESDP MISSION TO CHAD
REF: SECSTATE 3208
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Jane B. Zimmerman, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d
)
C O N F I D E N T I A L NICOSIA 000044
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/RPM, EUR/ERA, EUR/SE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/16/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV EUN CD CY TU
SUBJECT: CYPRUS SUPPORTS DEPLOYMENT OF ESDP MISSION TO CHAD
REF: SECSTATE 3208
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Jane B. Zimmerman, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d
)
1. (C) The Embassy January 17 delivered Reftel non-paper to
Haris Christodoulidou, the Cypriot Foreign Ministry's acting
head of ESDP/CFSP Affairs. In delivering the demarche,
PolChief focused on the urgency of the European Union putting
"boots on the ground" soonest in Chad and the Central
Republic. The United States supported the mission, he
emphasized, but had no current plans to contribute militarily.
2. (C) Christodoulidou shared our observations over the
deteriorating security situation in those two countries and
the need to deploy peacekeepers immediately. After glancing
through our paper, she responded that many of our concerns
should have been overcome by the latest developments on the
mission. Christodoulidou understood that France recently had
committed funding and hardware -- helicopters, specifically
-- to the African operation, greatly increasing the
likelihood it would commence soon (Note: international press
accounts reproduced in Cyprus noted that Poland as well had
offered helos.) Cyprus in November had seconded two military
officers to the Paris Mission headquarters, she revealed, and
was considering to send two others to the downrange HQ. Its
financial contribution so far amounted to 64,000 euro, and
the government had earmarked another, similar-sized donation
for disbursement.
3. (C) As with many MFA conversations, discussion soon
turned to the Cyprus Problem. Christodoulidou recounted her
recent assignment in Brussels, where she had witnessed
numerous examples of Cyprus-related "Turkish intransigence"
preventing effective coordination between the European Union
and NATO. "The Turks wouldn't even allow unclassified NATO
documents, available to the public, to reach us," she
protested. While Cyprus continued to favor closer
cooperation between the institutions, it preferred that the
Chad/CAR operation remain an autonomous ESDP mission not
subject to "onerous" Berlin-Plus arrangements. Ending the
call, she urged the USG to consider funding this and future
European-led missions directly, not through NATO.
ZIMMERMAN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/RPM, EUR/ERA, EUR/SE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/16/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV EUN CD CY TU
SUBJECT: CYPRUS SUPPORTS DEPLOYMENT OF ESDP MISSION TO CHAD
REF: SECSTATE 3208
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Jane B. Zimmerman, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d
)
1. (C) The Embassy January 17 delivered Reftel non-paper to
Haris Christodoulidou, the Cypriot Foreign Ministry's acting
head of ESDP/CFSP Affairs. In delivering the demarche,
PolChief focused on the urgency of the European Union putting
"boots on the ground" soonest in Chad and the Central
Republic. The United States supported the mission, he
emphasized, but had no current plans to contribute militarily.
2. (C) Christodoulidou shared our observations over the
deteriorating security situation in those two countries and
the need to deploy peacekeepers immediately. After glancing
through our paper, she responded that many of our concerns
should have been overcome by the latest developments on the
mission. Christodoulidou understood that France recently had
committed funding and hardware -- helicopters, specifically
-- to the African operation, greatly increasing the
likelihood it would commence soon (Note: international press
accounts reproduced in Cyprus noted that Poland as well had
offered helos.) Cyprus in November had seconded two military
officers to the Paris Mission headquarters, she revealed, and
was considering to send two others to the downrange HQ. Its
financial contribution so far amounted to 64,000 euro, and
the government had earmarked another, similar-sized donation
for disbursement.
3. (C) As with many MFA conversations, discussion soon
turned to the Cyprus Problem. Christodoulidou recounted her
recent assignment in Brussels, where she had witnessed
numerous examples of Cyprus-related "Turkish intransigence"
preventing effective coordination between the European Union
and NATO. "The Turks wouldn't even allow unclassified NATO
documents, available to the public, to reach us," she
protested. While Cyprus continued to favor closer
cooperation between the institutions, it preferred that the
Chad/CAR operation remain an autonomous ESDP mission not
subject to "onerous" Berlin-Plus arrangements. Ending the
call, she urged the USG to consider funding this and future
European-led missions directly, not through NATO.
ZIMMERMAN