CYPRIOTS STILL DIVIDED ON GEORGIA, AT LEAST

S E C R E T NICOSIA 000668 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE, EUR/CARC, EUR/RPM, S/ES, TFGG01 E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2018 TAGS: MOPS PREL PHUM OSCE SUBJECT: CYPRIOTS STILL DIVIDED ON GEORGIA, AT LEAST PUBLICLY REF: A. SECSTATE 87254 ¶B. NICOSIA 660 Classified By: Political Chief Gregory Macris, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (C) In response to Ref A, Polchief on August 14 delivered Georgia-related points to MFA Acting Political Director George Kasoulides. Referring to accounts of continued Russian military activity in and around Gori, the MFA diplomat lamented that hard, confirmed accounts were difficult to obtain. A propaganda war had broken out, he observed, with Georgia and Russia battling for the worlds' sympathies -- "even over condolence books," he chuckled (Cypriot diplomats would not sign either nation's volumes). Cyprus supported the immediate cessation of hostilities as stipulated in the agreement that French President Sarkozy had brokered, and hoped Russia and Georgia would honor their resulting commitments. The latter nation recently had requested that Cyprus make a humanitarian donation, and the GoC was deliberating how to respond. ¶2. (C) Kasoulides provided a brief readout of his mission's activities at the August 13 emergency GAERC in Brussels. He claimed that Cyprus had supported an EU statement that recognized Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, demanded an immediate cease-fire and access for humanitarian relief, and called for deployment of OSCE monitors to the conflict zone. The GoC had not taken a lead role in discussions, but rather worked behind the scenes in support of the French Presidency, Kasoulides continued. Cyprus believed it vital that the EU stay united, although he acknowledged that the former East Bloc countries' positions on Georgia differed greatly from the older EU states'. ¶3. (C) Pressed to comment specifically on Russia's aggression, a candid Kasoulides admitted it put Cyprus in a difficult position (Ref B). Indeed, there were similarities between Moscow's decision to invade a much-smaller sovereign state, allegedly to protect ethnic brethren under siege and citing "guarantor" responsibilities, and Turkey's 1974 operation in Cyprus and continued presence here. Yet there also existed numerous differences, Kasoulides asserted, without elaborating. He concluded by repeating his government's hope that the cease-fire stick, the parties develop a mechanism to allow international monitors to enter Georgia, and a permanent political solution be found soonest. ¶4. (S) COMMENT: Few in Cypriot officialdom or media make the obvious comparison between Russia's Georgia campaign and the events of 1974 (especially since August 14 marks the 34th anniversary of commencement of the second, larger Turkish offensive). For all we hear about sovereignty, international law and small states' rights -- the meat and potatoes of Greek Cypriots' Cyprus Problem stance -- they seem to have abandoned their principles this time, seemingly to cozy up further to Moscow (sensitive reporting soon available in other channels backs up this observation). Interestingly, newly-arrived MFA Permanent Secretary (D-equivalent) Nicholas Emiliou, our most appropriate GOC interlocutor for this urgent demarche, refused to receive us, citing a heavy read-in schedule. Just as likely, he was not ready to spout half-truths and spin in his first Embassy encounter. Cohen