CYPRUS: "RIGHT DIRECTION" ON IRAN, NOT SAYING SO

C O N F I D E N T I A L NICOSIA 000645 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SENIOR ADVISOR MULL, ISN, EUR/SE E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/05/2019 TAGS: KNNP MNUC PARM IR CY SUBJECT: CYPRUS: "RIGHT DIRECTION" ON IRAN, NOT SAYING SO PUBLICLY YET REF: A. STATE 103218 ¶B. STATE 100153 ¶C. 9/30 ALLISON-NEWPHEW E-MAIL Classified By: DCM Jonathan R. Cohen for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) On October 6, Poloff shared reftel A message on Iran with Counselor Panayiotis Papadopoulos in the Cyprus MFA's Multilateral Affairs Department. Papadopoulos stated that the GOC supports a diplomatic solution to the issue of Iran's nuclear program. He saw the October 1 meeting as a positive development and a step in the right direction on the "only available path." Papadopoulos also stated that the GOC stands behind all international treaties concerning non-proliferation and agreed that Iran should live up to obligations. Referring to long-standing UN involvement in Cyprus' internal political conflict, Papadopoulos offered that "Cyprus is among the first to call for UNSCRs to be obeyed." ¶2. (C) In soliciting information about any specific action the GOC might take to pressure Iran, Poloff shared with Papadopoulos that DCM had met with Cyprus MFA Political Director Rea Yiordamlis previously on this matter. DCM's September 30 meeting with Yiordamlis was in response to reftel B and coordinated with UK and French counterparts (ref e-mail). Yiordamlis responded at the time that Cyprus was also concerned, emphasizing that Cyprus followed the EU on this issue. "This is a serious problem that concerns all of us," she said, expressing hope that Iran would be more forthcoming with the information requested by the international community. When queried by DCM as to whether we could count on Cyprus' public support to that effect, Yiordamlis noted she would communicate with the Director General of the Ministry as well as the Minister when he returned to Cyprus from international travel in early October. Panayiotis told poloff he was not aware of any statement being considered by the GOC, but that he would contact us if he obtained additional information. URBANCIC