UN MISSION IN CYPRUS WORKING TO COMBAT TIP/SEA,

UNCLAS NICOSIA 000395 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/SE, EUR/PGI, IO/UNP, IO/PSC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPKO PREL KCRM CY SUBJECT: UN MISSION IN CYPRUS WORKING TO COMBAT TIP/SEA, BUT ADDITIONAL TRAINING LIKELY NEEDED REF: SECSTATE 57469 ¶1. (U) Per Reftel instructions, on June 16 and 18, Poloff contacted UN Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) Civil Affairs Officer Maria Wilkins. Wilkins serves as UNFICYP's appointed "gender focal point," and is charged with educating UN civilian, police and military personnel about sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, and trafficking in persons (TIP). Wilkins stated that UNFICYP enforces the Secretary General's "no tolerance" policy, per circular #56, with regard to local establishments that sponsor prostitution. According to Wilkins, every new employee must undergo a mandatory orientation session regarding trafficking. Fifteen training sessions have taken place between July 14, 2008 and May 31, 2009, in which a total of 395 UNFICYP staff received "conduct and discipline" (CD) and "sexual exploitation and abuse" (SEA) training. According to Wilkins, there were no TIP or SEA infractions over the past year. ¶2. (U) On June 18, Poloff contacted Rita Superman, Director of the Cyprus Police Anti-TIP unit, who confirmed that she had not encountered any trafficking or SEA cases involving UNFICYP personnel; however, Superman had heard anecdotal accounts of UN peacekeepers visiting cabarets, particularly in the Agia Napa area. Superman also stated that in certain instances, she had reached out to UN police to investigate Interpol reports of trafficked victims from Moldova being held in "nightclubs" in the Turkish Cypriot community. In each instance, UN police responded that they had spoken with the alleged victim, who "had no complaints;" no further action was taken. Superman suggested that additional training on victim identification for UN police might be a good idea. ¶3. (U) On June 18, Poloff contacted Elena Pissaridou, Director of Cyprus-based NGO Stigma. Pissaridou stated that she had received no reports of trafficking or SEA cases involving UNFICYP personnel. No incidents had been reported in the media. ¶4. (U) It is Post's assessment that UNFICYP's anti-TIP and SEA training has been adequate, since neither NGOs or the media have reported incidents of TIP/ SEA misconduct by UNFICYP personnel during the reporting period; however, based on Superman's comments, additional training on identification procedures for UN police, as well as additional CD training for UN peacekeepers stressing the "off-limits" policy regarding cabarets, would likely be useful. Urbancic