CYPRUS PLEDGES FULL SUPPORT FOR THE NSG DRAFT

UNCLAS NICOSIA 000663 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE, EUR/PGI, ISN/RA, ISN/NESS, SCA/RA, SCA/PPD. PLEASE PASS DOE. E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM PREL ETTC AORC CY SUBJECT: CYPRUS PLEDGES FULL SUPPORT FOR THE NSG DRAFT EXCEPTION TEXT FOR INDIA REF: SECSTATE 85948 ¶1. (SBU) In response to urgent reftel requesting that Embassies in Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) countries urge host governments to support the U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Cooperation Initiative at the NSG plenary session August 21-22, Polchief on August 12 transmitted points to MFA Multilateral Affairs chief and acting Political Director George Kasoulides and followed up the following day. Kasoulides reported that India, three weeks earlier, had dispatched a team of technical experts to Cyprus to explain the agreement's scope and lobby for Nicosia's backing. After careful consideration, Cyprus had decided to "bless" the arrangement, and would instruct its representative to the NSG plenary to voice no objections over the draft exception document which Germany earlier had circulated. ¶2. (SBU) Kasoulides claimed that other EU member states still harbored reservations over the Initiative, although the matter had received little discussion, formal or informal, in Brussels. The MFA diplomat dodged the question of whether Cyprus would attempt to sway others to its positive impression of the U.S.-India arrangement. ¶3. (SBU) Note: UK High Commission counterparts had contacted the Embassy on August 12 after receiving their own instructions to demarche Cyprus, either jointly with us or as a follow-up. After receiving our positive readout of Cyprus's NSG intentions, however, they in all likelihood will not seek a call. HADLEY