CYPRUS - UPCOMING MANPADS DESTRUCTION EVENT

S E C R E T STATE 052499


NOFORN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/21/2019
TAGS: PARM PERM PETR PREL CY
SUBJECT: CYPRUS - UPCOMING MANPADS DESTRUCTION EVENT

REF: A. IIR 6 823 0080 09


Classified By: EUR DAS, Acting, Anita Friedt, E.O.12958,
1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (U) This is an action request. Please see para 6
below.


2. (C) SUMMARY. A team of U.S. and UK technical experts,
in a multilateral effort under Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) auspices, will assist the
Republic of Cyprus (RoC) with the destruction of 324
MANPADS and 101 associated gripstocks during demolition
operations June 9-12, 2009. This assistance is the next
step in the U.S.-UK-led, OSCE-facilitated response to a
request from the ROC Defense Minister for technical
assistance and capacity building. The PM/WRA
representative will use this opportunity to offer the ROC
additional bilateral assistance with future reduction of
excess weapons and unstable munitions, as well as
improvements to physical security and stockpile management
of retained stocks. End Summary.

GOALS


3. (C) Washington intends to complement the current
MANPADS reduction project with an offer of further U.S.
bilateral assistance. This would include the destruction
of excess or outdated small arms and light weapons (SA/LW)
and unstable munitions in Cyprus, as well as improvements
in physical security and stockpile management (PSSM).
Ideally this assistance would be in the form of
U.S.-Cyprus bilateral cooperation; however, future
OSCE-facilitated efforts that would transition to a
U.S.-Cyprus mechanism could be possible.


4. (C) A bilateral approach to SA/LW destruction and PSSM
improvement in Cyprus follows longstanding USG policy to
facilitate the demilitarization of the island. Following
on the positive meeting between Secretary Clinton and FM
Kyprianou in Washington April 20, this cooperation would
demonstrate USG support for the ongoing Cyprus
negotiations and desire for an enhanced bilateral
relationship.


5. (S//NF) The Intelligence Community (IC) is very
interested in the possibility of acquiring French-made
MISTRAL MANPADS. Intelligence suggests there are 65
MISTRALs in Cyprus; the IC has previously been unable to
acquire a MISTRAL. Efforts to this end would be a
long-term goal of this cooperation and would be
coordinated through PM, EUR, Embassy Nicosia, and the
CIA's Counterterrorism Center.

NEXT STEP/ACTION REQUEST


6. (C) Washington requests that Embassy Nicosia set up a
meeting with the appropriate parties within the ROC to
discuss possible bilateral cooperation for the destruction
of excess or outdated conventional weapons and unstable
munitions and improvement of PSSM for retained stocks.
The desired date for the meeting is June 10, 2009 as
PM/WRA will have a representative available in Cyprus on
that date. Department requests Embassy Nicosia approach
host nation and respond by June 1, 2009.

BACKGROUND


7. (SBU) On October 29, 2008, the Defense Minister of the
ROC made a formal request to the OSCE for technical
assistance with the destruction of 324 SA-7 MANPADS and
101 associated gripstocks. The ROC accepted British and
U.S. destruction expertise offered under an OSCE flag. An
initial assessment and project development visit took
place March 10-12, 2009. The PM/WRA representative
reported that the trip went smoothly, and the U.S. and UK
experts were impressed by the excellent cooperation and
support from the Cypriot National Guard. At that time,
dates were set for a test destruction on March 20, 2009
and the complete destruction operations on June 9-12,

2009. The March 20, 2009 test destruction went smoothly
and the team is still planning to assist the ROC in
destroying the rest of the aging stockpile in June. In
response to ROC's request, a major element of the June
destruction event will be enhancing ROC domestic
capabilities for stockpile reduction. The OSCE report also
recommended a follow-on effort focused on PSSM that would
be managed by the U.S.


CLINTON