(C) GERMANY SAYS CYPRUS WILL BLOCK TURKEY FROM NSG

C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 000424 SIPDIS STATE FOR ISN/NESS FOR ROBIN DELABARRE UNVIE FOR LISA HILLIARD STATE FOR EUR/CE PETER SCHROEDER E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/09/2034 TAGS: ENRG ETTC IAEA KNNP PARM TRGY TU CY GR HU GM SUBJECT: (C) GERMANY SAYS CYPRUS WILL BLOCK TURKEY FROM NSG CHAIRMANSHIP REF: STATE 30025 Classified By: EPD Unit Chief Don L. Brown for reason 1.4 (b). ¶1. (C) According to Germany, the current Chair of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG),Cyprus will block Turkey's candidacy to chair the NSG in 2010. Germany has been in direct contact with Nicosia and Ankara on this impasse and stated that the Cypriots, primary objection to Turkey's NSG Chairmanship stems from Turkey's vote to block Cyprus from joining the Wassenaar Arrangement and Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) export control regimes. Germany supports Turkey's NSG candidacy, but does not foresee any immediate resolution and is not/not willing to broker any kind of compromise between Cyprus and Turkey. (COMMENT: The NSG, Wassenaar Arrangement, and MTCR regimes work on a consensus basis for decision making; hence, a single voting member has the power to block decisions regarding chairmanship and new member entry. END COMMENT) ¶2. (C) On April 8, EconOff met with Dr. Joerg Polster, German MFA Nuclear Energy Policy Officer, to convey USG support for Turkey to host the 2010 NSG Plenary and to assume the NSG Chairmanship for that year. Polster said that while Germany also supports Turkey's candidacy, the Cypriots will not allow it to go through for two reasons: 1) Turkey blocked Cyprus' entry into the Wassenaar Arrangement and Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) export control regimes; and 2) the Cypriots would not trust Turkey as NSG Chair to communicate with them directly on NSG technical matters. Polster clearly emphasized that the first reason was the driving force behind Cyprus, position. ¶3. (C) Polster said that current NSG Chairman, Ambassador Viktor Elbling, has been in direct contact with both Nicosia and Ankara and voiced Germany's support for Turkey to chair the NSG. Elbling, however, is not optimistic that a resolution can be found and insists that Germany is "not/not willing to get in the middle" of this affair. Polster said Germany fears that this issue could become politically contentious within the EU and the "positives simply do not outweigh the potential negatives." ¶4. (C) Interestingly, Polster said that the Greeks have absolutely no problem& with Turkey chairing the NSG and outside of Cyprus, Germany sees no other opposition. Polster said that Germany knows full well that "chairing the NSG is a burden" and does not see any other candidates emerging for ¶2010. Polster indicated that the next opportunity to vote on a 2010 NSG Chair will be at the June 8-12 NSG Plenary when the German NSG Chairmanship is transferred to Hungary. Koenig