(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