Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09NICOSIA108
2009-02-09 15:13:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Nicosia
Cable title:
MONCHEGORSK: DECISION ON DISPOSITION "WITHIN 2-3
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C O N F I D E N T I A L NICOSIA 000108
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR, IO, NEA, ISN, P, L
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2019
TAGS: PARM MNUC PREL IR SY CY
SUBJECT: MONCHEGORSK: DECISION ON DISPOSITION "WITHIN 2-3
DAYS"
REF: A. NICOSIA 104
B. BRYZA-FRIEDT EMAIL OF 2/6/09
Classified By: DCM Jonathan Cohen, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L NICOSIA 000108
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR, IO, NEA, ISN, P, L
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2019
TAGS: PARM MNUC PREL IR SY CY
SUBJECT: MONCHEGORSK: DECISION ON DISPOSITION "WITHIN 2-3
DAYS"
REF: A. NICOSIA 104
B. BRYZA-FRIEDT EMAIL OF 2/6/09
Classified By: DCM Jonathan Cohen, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) Status of Vessel: The M/V Monchegorsk moved slightly
further from shore on February 7/8. An RoC diplomatic source
claimed the vessel had relocated to keep from blocking
Limassol port traffic. A maritime official cited the
vessel's dangerous cargo and the need to maintain distance
between the Monchegorsk and other ships. Informing the
latter's account were recent media stories on the release of
the Iran Sanctions Committee's interim response to Cyprus's
request for guidance -- the February 8 headline of
English-language "Cyprus Mail" read "Ship Carries Banned
Weapons, UN Says."
2. (C) Diplomatic Activity: At 1445 hrs local (0745 DC),
Ambassador telephoned RoC Diplomatic Coordinator Leonidas
Pantelides. Pantelides confirmed the Monchegorsk remained in
Limassol, although it had had to be moved a short distance to
keep it from stopping port activity. He expected a final RoC
decision within two or three days. Cyprus might still order
the vessel to proceed to Malta; more likely, however, the
government would decide to confiscate the cargo.
3. (C) Ambassador praised the latter possible course of
action. If Cyprus were to confiscate the cargo with aims of
disposing it, the USG would stand ready to lend technical
assistance. In any case, it would be critical to obtain a
complete inventory before Cyprus moved to destroy the goods.
Pantelides again demurred on the offer of technical
assistance, but confirmed the RoC must look into every
container, "so that we know what we are dealing with.8
4. (C) As of local OOB, Embassy contacts at the Czech and
German Embassies had not received instructions for a
Monchegorsk-related, February 9 EU-3-plus-Presidency demarche
on Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou (Ref B). Four hours
later, the Germans reported they had received a message from
Berlin. Owing to the EU ambassadors' other demands, the call
likely would not occur until February 10, and might drop to
Pantelides's or Deputy FM Nicolas Emiliou's level. Czech
Embassy sources too reported a late receipt of instructions
from Prague. They added that details of the demarche would
be finalized at the February 10 Political and Security
Meeting (PSC) in Brussels.
Urbancic
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR, IO, NEA, ISN, P, L
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2019
TAGS: PARM MNUC PREL IR SY CY
SUBJECT: MONCHEGORSK: DECISION ON DISPOSITION "WITHIN 2-3
DAYS"
REF: A. NICOSIA 104
B. BRYZA-FRIEDT EMAIL OF 2/6/09
Classified By: DCM Jonathan Cohen, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) Status of Vessel: The M/V Monchegorsk moved slightly
further from shore on February 7/8. An RoC diplomatic source
claimed the vessel had relocated to keep from blocking
Limassol port traffic. A maritime official cited the
vessel's dangerous cargo and the need to maintain distance
between the Monchegorsk and other ships. Informing the
latter's account were recent media stories on the release of
the Iran Sanctions Committee's interim response to Cyprus's
request for guidance -- the February 8 headline of
English-language "Cyprus Mail" read "Ship Carries Banned
Weapons, UN Says."
2. (C) Diplomatic Activity: At 1445 hrs local (0745 DC),
Ambassador telephoned RoC Diplomatic Coordinator Leonidas
Pantelides. Pantelides confirmed the Monchegorsk remained in
Limassol, although it had had to be moved a short distance to
keep it from stopping port activity. He expected a final RoC
decision within two or three days. Cyprus might still order
the vessel to proceed to Malta; more likely, however, the
government would decide to confiscate the cargo.
3. (C) Ambassador praised the latter possible course of
action. If Cyprus were to confiscate the cargo with aims of
disposing it, the USG would stand ready to lend technical
assistance. In any case, it would be critical to obtain a
complete inventory before Cyprus moved to destroy the goods.
Pantelides again demurred on the offer of technical
assistance, but confirmed the RoC must look into every
container, "so that we know what we are dealing with.8
4. (C) As of local OOB, Embassy contacts at the Czech and
German Embassies had not received instructions for a
Monchegorsk-related, February 9 EU-3-plus-Presidency demarche
on Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou (Ref B). Four hours
later, the Germans reported they had received a message from
Berlin. Owing to the EU ambassadors' other demands, the call
likely would not occur until February 10, and might drop to
Pantelides's or Deputy FM Nicolas Emiliou's level. Czech
Embassy sources too reported a late receipt of instructions
from Prague. They added that details of the demarche would
be finalized at the February 10 Political and Security
Meeting (PSC) in Brussels.
Urbancic