CYPRUS: PARTNERING FOR GLOBAL HUNGER AND FOOD SECURITY

UNCLAS NICOSIA 000692 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EEB/TPP/MTAA/ABT (ARYAN),IO (RHAGEN AND JTUMINARO),AND EUR/SE DEPT PASS OFFICE OF THE COUNSELOR (MPLOWDEN) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR EAID ETRD CY SUBJECT: CYPRUS: PARTNERING FOR GLOBAL HUNGER AND FOOD SECURITY REF: STATE 107298 (U) This cable is sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly. ¶1. (SBU) Per Reftel, we met with two officials at the MFA: Ms. Francis Lanitou-Williams, Head of the Division of Development Cooperation, Humanitarian Assistance, and International Economic Organizations, and Mr. Nicolas Karaitidis, Counsellor, Department of Bilateral Relations with Member States of the EU and Neighboring Countries. In response to our talking points Williams, who has served in her current position for only three weeks, pledged to inform the MFA's leadership about our offer. She welcomed closer dialogue between Cyprus and the US on global food issues and noted that Foreign Minister Kyprianou is keenly interested in aid issues in general. Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and the Environment, Michalis Polyniki Charalambides, will represent Cyprus at the upcoming Food Summit in Rome. ¶2. (SBU) We also noted that the November 3 EU-US meeting in Washington DC on official development assistance would be another opportunity for closer cooperation on aid matters and urged our interlocutors to encourage participating GOC officials to seek direct contact with USG officials. Williams responded by asking for more information about the USG's Millennium Challenge policy, to which we responded by referring her to the appropriate website. ¶3. (SBU) Regarding GOC aid policy, Williams noted that, after a brief "grace period", new EU member states were expected to gradually increase their aid programs and become more adept at administering them. At the same time, she added, the GOC was keenly interested in ensuring that whatever money it contributes for foreign aid is put to good use. Towards this end, the GOC is eager to partner with other countries within the EU but also with other non-EU countries (e.g. the U.S.) For example, Cyprus is now co-financing education projects in Afghanistan with Denmark. Cyprus provided only USD 100,000 to Afghanistan last year but Williams said they will try to augment this in the year ahead. ¶4. (SBU) Williams also noted that Cyprus aid focuses on Education, Health and Infrastructure. She provided a glossy new booklet entitled "CyprusAid -- the Development Cooperation Service of the Republic of Cyprus." This publication describes the various types and sectors of Cyprus' Official Development Assistance and the program's long-term vision. A copy of the publication can be downloaded from: http://www.planning.gov.cy/planning/Planning. nsf/Attach mentArchive/1D6633BC4757FC74C2257599003BAF12/ $file/Cypr usAid%20Brochure%20Eng.pdf?openelement URBANCIC