CYPRUS: PARLIAMENT GRILLS FM ON PLANNED EMBASSY IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L NICOSIA 000815 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE, EUR/ERA, WHA/CCA E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM CY CU SUBJECT: CYPRUS: PARLIAMENT GRILLS FM ON PLANNED EMBASSY IN HAVANA REF: NICOSIA 777 Classified By: Ambassador Frank C. Urbancic, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (U) Members of the Cypriot House of Representatives' Foreign Affairs committee voiced displeasure over the RoC's recent decision to open an embassy in Cuba (Reftel),local media reported on October 10. Committee Chairman Averoff Neophytou (DISY, center-right),speaking at the conclusion of a closed hearing in which Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou had outlined the MFA's short- to medium-term expansion plans, criticized the loudest. "While I recognize that Cuba was and remains a friendly country...I question why now is the right time to open an embassy in Havana." Media sources reported that, during the closed House hearing, Neophytou and his colleagues had expressed worry that, at a time when Cyprus needed the international community -- especially the United States -- to support the Cyprus settlement process via lobbying/pressure on Turkey, the government was needlessly antagonizing Washington by cozying up to Cuba. Kyprianou allegedly had parried their objections by noting that other EU member-states had missions in Havana. ¶2. (C) At a September 18 meeting with Emboffs, Neophytou, flabbergasted over then-rumored RoC plans for Cuba, offered that he would call the committee to order to demand explanations from the MFA. He also repeated rumors circulating amidst the House that the government intended to upgrade ties with Venezuela. Urbancic