IRAN: CYPRIOT NEXT MOVES ON MONCHEGORSK

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000119 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/10/2019 TAGS: PARM IR UNSC MNUC ETTC KNNP SUBJECT: IRAN: CYPRIOT NEXT MOVES ON MONCHEGORSK REF: A. USUN 103 ¶B. NICOSIA 104 ¶C. NICOSIA 108 ¶D. USUN 75 Classified By: Amb. Susan Rice, for reasons 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C/NF) SUMMARY: The UN Perm Rep of Cyprus told Amb. Wolff that Cyprus had finished examining the cargo on the M/V Monchegorsk and would likely soon report to the UN Security Council's Iran Sanctions Committee the results of this inspection and Cyprus' final plan for disposing of the cargo. Cyprus is reportedly still exploring options for the disposition of the cargo, including the possibility of retaining it in Cyprus. USUN will refrain for now from proposing further action in the Iran Sanctions Committee so as not to risk injecting new elements that might distract Cyprus into making a poor decision regarding the disposition of cargo. END SUMARRY. ¶2. (C/NF) In a February 10 phone call, Cypriot Perm Rep Minas Hadjimichael (protect) told Amb. Wolff that, according to FM Kyprianou, Cypriot authorities had finished a complete examination of all of the shipping containers on the M/V Monchegorsk. (NOTE: The Monchegorsk is a Cypriot-flagged vessel suspected of transferring arms-related materiel from Iran to Syria in violation of UNSCR 1747. On February 3, Cyprus requested guidance from the Iran Sanctions Committee related to this incident. END NOTE.) Hadjimichael, who claimed to have spoken with his minister minutes before, explained that this inspection "didn't find anything that different than before" and emphasized that only conventional arms were found. ¶3. (C/NF) Hadjimichael said he had told his minister it would be logical for Cyprus to send a report to the Iran Sanctions Committee containing the results of this latest inspection and Cyprus' plans for disposing of the cargo. He expected shortly a communication from Nicosia along these lines and did not think any further prompting by the Council was necessary at this stage. ¶4. (C/NF) Hadjimichael said Cyprus was contemplating "many options" for disposal, including transfer to a third party or keeping the cargo in Cyprus for storage (not destruction). He also claimed that the Cypriot president had publicly said that this cargo did indeed constitute a violation of UNSCR 1747 and would not be returned to Iran. ¶5. (C/NF) In light of these developments, USUN will refrain for now from pursuing further action in the Iran Sanctions Committee (e.g., a second Committee letter to Cyprus or Committee engagement with Iran and Syria) so as not to inject new elements that might distract Cyprus into making a poor decision regarding the disposition of cargo. The additional information provided by Cyprus will also be helpful in framing any eventual communication by the Committee with Iran and Syria. Rice