PASCOE DELIVERS CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC MESSAGE ON

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000355

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SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL UNSC CY
SUBJECT: PASCOE DELIVERS CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC MESSAGE ON
CYPRUS TO UNSC

REF: USUN 00282


1. (SBU) Summary: On April 15, UN Under Secretary General for
Political Affairs Pascoe briefed the Security Council on his
March 30 to April 2 assessment mission to Cyprus. Pascoe
said that both parties had expressed willingness to reach a
comprehensive settlement and engage in good faith with their
counterparts. He said he was struck by the positive rapport
between Cypriot President Christofias and Turkish Cypriot
leader Talat despite the international isolation of the
north. Following up on his message to the P-5 in late March
(reftel),Pascoe concluded that the two sides are trying hard
to make the working groups and technical committees
successful. If they achieve this, he is confident that the
Secretary-General will decide to appoint another high-level

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Special Envoy by the end of the three-month preparatory
period agreed by the two leaders on March 21. The UK Permrep
said his mission will circulate a draft Security Council
Presidential Statement (PRST) soon to encourage further
progress. All Security Council members supported the idea of
adopting a PRST this week. End Summary.


2. (SBU) On April 15, U/SYG Pascoe briefed the Security
Council on his recent assessment mission to Cyprus. Pascoe
told the UNSC that the successful March 21 meeting between
Christofias and Talat had been a concrete expression of the
new positive atmosphere on the island. He stated that the
leaders had avoided thorny issues by mentioning neither the
July 8, 2006 Agreement nor the Comprehensive Settlement Plan
in their March 21 statement. Pascoe said that while he was
on the island March 30 to April 2, both parties had expressed
a willingness to reach a comprehensive settlement and engage
in good faith with their counterparts. He was struck by the
positive rapport between Christofias and Talat that existed
despite the international isolation of the north. Pascoe
reported that during his follow-on trips to Athens and
Ankara, Greece had welcomed the March 21 Agreement as an
opportunity to move forward while Ankara had stressed the
importance of improved economic and social conditions for the
Turkish Cypriots. Pascoe noted that there has already been
further progress since March 21, including the April 3
opening of Ledra Street crossing. Pascoe expected the
working groups and technical committees envisioned in the
July 8, 2006 Agreement to be launched by the end of this
week.


3. (SBU) Pascoe stated that the two sides will seek to bridge
as many issues as they can at the working level in the coming
days, and leave the remaining issues for the next meeting of
the two leaders. He expressed optimism that much can be
accomplished in the preparatory phase beforehand, adding that
the sides will "draw on a considerable body of existing work"
in their search for a settlement. Pascoe warned however that
there should be no illusions that issues that have
complicated a settlement for years will be quickly solved; he
pointed to the opening of Ledra Street crossing followed by
its temporary re-closure as a metaphor for difficult patterns
the settlement process may experience. Following up on his
message to the P-5 in late March, Pascoe concluded that the
two sides are working hard to make the working groups and
technical committees successful and that if they achieve this
he is confident that after 90 days the Secretary-General will
decide to appoint another high-level Special Envoy.


4. (SBU) Echoing Pascoe's message, UK Permrep Sawers said the
current atmosphere allows for optimism but that the issues on
Cyprus have not gotten easier. Sawers stated that because
Security Council support for efforts on the island is
important, the UK would circulate a draft Presidential
Statement (PRST) to members soon. USUN voiced agreement with
Pascoe's cautious optimism regarding what has been
accomplished and expressed support for a PRST.


5. (SBU) French Permrep Ripert was hopeful regarding the new
spirit of cooperation on the island but underscored the end
objective must be reunification. Russian Deputy Permrep
Dolgov stated support for continuing to seek a solution to
the Cyprus problem through the UN and continuation of the
Secretary-General's Good Offices Mission. Dolgov said the

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March 21 meeting was important because it helped
implementation of the July 8 process. All Council members
expressed support for a PRST to encourage further progress.

Khalilzad