CYPRUS AGAIN SEEKS USG SUPPORT FOR WASSENAAR BID

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NICOSIA 000936

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE, EUR/RPM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/24/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR CY TU
SUBJECT: CYPRUS AGAIN SEEKS USG SUPPORT FOR WASSENAAR BID

REF: A. CLEGG-TRIP/SCHLICHER EMAIL OF 12/12/2007

B. MITCHELL/CLEGG-TRIPP EMAIL OF 11/27/2007

C. DECEMBER 2007 ROOD-MARCOULLIS LETTER

Classified By: Ambassador Frank C. Urbancic, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)


1. (U) This message contains an action request; please see
Paragraph 5.


2. (SBU) The Cypriot Foreign Ministry on November 25 asked
the Embassy to forward immediately correspondence from
Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou to the Secretary. The
letter, the text of which appears in Paragraph 6 (original to
be pouched to the Department),concerns Cyprus's interest in
joining the Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for
Conventional Arms and Dual Use Goods and Technologies. The
MFA reports that Cyprus's application will be considered at
the next Wassenaar plenary, to be held in Vienna on December

2.


3. (C) Cyprus long has sought U.S. support for its Wassenaar
Arrangement application, which Turkey annually blocks for
Cyprus Problem-related reasons. Three years ago, the USG
took a decision to back Cyprus's bid (Ref B),announcing
publicly its support to participating governments (including
Ankara) and expressing private regret to Nicosia that Turkey
continued to deny it participation. In our policy
determination, the USG did not commit to lobbying Ankara to
drop its objections, however, and specifically left this
responsibility to Cyprus's fellow European Union member
states that participate in Wassenaar.


4. (C) At the December 2007 Plenary, Turkey voiced its
customary objection to Cyprus's bid. This time it lodged a
procedural complaint, claiming the application had expired
and should be stricken from the agenda (Ref A). A dust-up
ensued, pitting Ankara against participating EU governments,
which were defending Cyprus's position. After an hour of
bickering, the U.S. representative eventually chimed in on
Turkey's side, claiming the EU states had incorrectly changed
the debate from procedure to politics. Despite him also
voicing U.S. support for Cyprus's application, the Cypriots
reacted angrily to the U.S. "transgression."


5. (C) Action Request/Recommendation: We recommend
continued USG support -- in a manner consistent with the 2005
policy review -- for Cyprus's bid to join Wassenaar, and
suggest a response to Foreign Minister Kyprianou's letter
similar in substance to the Assistant Secretary for
International Security and Non-proliferation's December 2007
correspondence to Kyprianou's predecessor, Erato Marcoullis
(Ref C). Suggested response text appears in Paragraph 7.


6. (SBU) Text of Kyprianou-Secretary letter:

Complimentary Opening

"I would like to inform you that during the upcoming
Wassenaar Plenary Meeting, to be held in Vienna during 2-3
December 2008, the application of the Republic of Cyprus to
join the Wassenaar Arrangement will be under consideration
and it will be supported by our EU partners through the
statement of the EU French Presidency.

Despite the fact that Cyprus fulfills all the prerequisites,
norms and criteria for admission to the Arrangement, it
remains the only member-state of the European Union that is
not part of the Arrangement. As a result, Cyprus is deprived
of direct access to valuable and confidential information
that is crucial in improving its export control policies and
standards.

As I am sure you are aware, Cyprus's efforts to join the
Wassenaar Arrangement are continuously and unjustifiably
prevented by Turkey's objections. The position of Turkey
disregards the assessment of the objective criteria for
accession and it is also in violation of its obligations
emanating from the EU-Turkey Negotiation Framework.
Unfortunately, during the last three years, Turkey prevented
Cyprus's accession to the Arrangement in nine different
instances, with the most recent one being during the General
Working Groups in Vienna on 15-16 October 2008.

With this letter, I wish to kindly request the active support
of the United States of America to Cyprus's rightful claim to
join the Wassenaar Arrangement. This can be expressed
through your support of the statement of the EU Presidency or
by actively advocating our cause in a different manner. I am
sure that your contribution to our efforts could help us

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overcome the obstacles posed by Turkey, so that our
application can be reviewed solely on objective criteria.

I trust that we will have your country's support, since I am
confident that you share my belief that the accession of the
Republic of Cyprus to the Wassenaar Arrangement will be
beneficial to all of its member-states and will strengthen
the export control regime for conventional weapons and
dual-use goods in sensitive geographical region."

Complimentary Closing.


7. (SBU) Suggested response text (taken from Ref C):

Complimentary Opening.

"As you know, the United States fully supports Cyprus'
membership in the Wassenaar Arrangement, a fact we have made
known to all Participating States. We regret that Turkey
continues to block admission of Cyprus to Wassenaar. This
unfortunate state of affairs demonstrates once again the need
for a comprehensive and lasting Cyprus settlement. In the
meantime, the United States encourages the European Union
Participating States of the Wassenaar Arrangement and Turkey
to work together to resolve this issue."

Complimentary Closing.
Urbancic