Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09NICOSIA98
2009-02-03 15:43:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Nicosia
Cable title:
M/V MONCHEGORSK: CYPRUS INSISTS ON UN COVER
how-toVZCZCXRO1851 OO RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHNC #0098 0341543 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 031543Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY NICOSIA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9601 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO IMMEDIATE 0289 RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV IMMEDIATE 6465 RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS IMMEDIATE 2134 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 1342 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RHEFNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC IMMEDIATE RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE IMMEDIATE RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L NICOSIA 000098
SIPDIS
NOFORN
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR, NEA, IO, ISN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2019
TAGS: PARM MNUC PREL PGOR SY IR CY
SUBJECT: M/V MONCHEGORSK: CYPRUS INSISTS ON UN COVER
REF: NICOSIA 96 AND OTHERS
Classified By: Ambassador Frank C. Urbancic, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L NICOSIA 000098
SIPDIS
NOFORN
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR, NEA, IO, ISN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2019
TAGS: PARM MNUC PREL PGOR SY IR CY
SUBJECT: M/V MONCHEGORSK: CYPRUS INSISTS ON UN COVER
REF: NICOSIA 96 AND OTHERS
Classified By: Ambassador Frank C. Urbancic, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (U) Status of Ship: No changes since last report.
2. (C) Diplomatic Activity: Ambassador on February 2 spoke
with RoC Diplomatic Coordinator Leonidas Pantelides regarding
latest developments on Monchegorsk. Contradicting recent
messages from the Foreign Ministry regarding the
applicability of UNSCR 1747, Pantelides claimed there was no
doubt the Monchegorsk was carrying proscribed materiel. That
said, Cyprus needed "a blue flag (United Nations) solution,"
or otherwise would prefer to send the cargo back to source
country Iran. He dismissed any option that entailed
transferring the shipment to a third party without UN cover,
such as the German offer reported on February 2 (Reftel).
Giving the cargo to Germany would be acceptable, he
clarified, but only with authorization from the UN.
Pantelides expected the RoC to report its inspection findings
to the UNSC Iran Sanctions Committee (ISC) before week's end,
perhaps as early as February 4. The message would include
not only the results of the government's inspection, but also
questions posed to the ISC regarding disposition of the
Monchegorsk cargo. Pantelides noted the RoC had consulted
with the Russians and Chinese in New York and had been
assured that there would be no difficulties. Ambassador
emphasized that the U.S. believed Cyprus should report a
violation to the Council without open-ended questions;
returning the cargo to Iran was a bad option, he added.
3. (C) Ambassador also discussed next steps with resident UK
High Commissioner Peter Millett. Millett hours earlier had
engaged RoC Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou to urge the
Cypriots to report only their inspection findings to the ISC
and specifically not seek guidance for proceeding. However,
in the face of what appeared to be a near-imminent Cypriot
decision not to report and perhaps let the boat leave,
Millett's message apparently softened, focusing instead on
the necessity of referring the matter to New York regardless
of wording. Kyprianou claimed that "these people" --
pointing at President Demetris Christofias and fellow AKEL
party glitterati -- had allowed the Monchegorsk to become an
ideological, David versus Goliath affair, with "little
Cyprus" naturally cozying up to Syria's David. Such an
interpretation did not bode well for a solution acceptable to
the U.S., Britain, and others, the Minister concluded.
4. (C) As to immediate next steps, Millett raised the idea
of coordinated telephone calls from P-3-plus-one capitals to
Christofias, at the PolDir level.
Urbancic
SIPDIS
NOFORN
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR, NEA, IO, ISN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2019
TAGS: PARM MNUC PREL PGOR SY IR CY
SUBJECT: M/V MONCHEGORSK: CYPRUS INSISTS ON UN COVER
REF: NICOSIA 96 AND OTHERS
Classified By: Ambassador Frank C. Urbancic, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (U) Status of Ship: No changes since last report.
2. (C) Diplomatic Activity: Ambassador on February 2 spoke
with RoC Diplomatic Coordinator Leonidas Pantelides regarding
latest developments on Monchegorsk. Contradicting recent
messages from the Foreign Ministry regarding the
applicability of UNSCR 1747, Pantelides claimed there was no
doubt the Monchegorsk was carrying proscribed materiel. That
said, Cyprus needed "a blue flag (United Nations) solution,"
or otherwise would prefer to send the cargo back to source
country Iran. He dismissed any option that entailed
transferring the shipment to a third party without UN cover,
such as the German offer reported on February 2 (Reftel).
Giving the cargo to Germany would be acceptable, he
clarified, but only with authorization from the UN.
Pantelides expected the RoC to report its inspection findings
to the UNSC Iran Sanctions Committee (ISC) before week's end,
perhaps as early as February 4. The message would include
not only the results of the government's inspection, but also
questions posed to the ISC regarding disposition of the
Monchegorsk cargo. Pantelides noted the RoC had consulted
with the Russians and Chinese in New York and had been
assured that there would be no difficulties. Ambassador
emphasized that the U.S. believed Cyprus should report a
violation to the Council without open-ended questions;
returning the cargo to Iran was a bad option, he added.
3. (C) Ambassador also discussed next steps with resident UK
High Commissioner Peter Millett. Millett hours earlier had
engaged RoC Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou to urge the
Cypriots to report only their inspection findings to the ISC
and specifically not seek guidance for proceeding. However,
in the face of what appeared to be a near-imminent Cypriot
decision not to report and perhaps let the boat leave,
Millett's message apparently softened, focusing instead on
the necessity of referring the matter to New York regardless
of wording. Kyprianou claimed that "these people" --
pointing at President Demetris Christofias and fellow AKEL
party glitterati -- had allowed the Monchegorsk to become an
ideological, David versus Goliath affair, with "little
Cyprus" naturally cozying up to Syria's David. Such an
interpretation did not bode well for a solution acceptable to
the U.S., Britain, and others, the Minister concluded.
4. (C) As to immediate next steps, Millett raised the idea
of coordinated telephone calls from P-3-plus-one capitals to
Christofias, at the PolDir level.
Urbancic