R 221508Z JUN 09 ZFF4
FM AMEMBASSY NICOSIA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9942
INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
CIA WASHINGTON DC
USEU BRUSSELS
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK

C O N F I D E N T I A L NICOSIA 000402 
 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/SE, IO/UNP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/22/2019 
TAGS: PREL PGOV TR UNFICYP CY
SUBJECT: CYPRUS:UNSG SPECIAL ADVISER DOWNER UPBEAT ON 
PROCESS AND HOPEFUL ON LIMNITIS/YESILIRMAK OPENING 
 
REF: A. URBANCIC-BRYZA JUNE 19 E-MAIL 
     ¶B. NICOSIA 327 
     ¶C. NICOSIA 306 
     ¶D. NICOSIA 257 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Frank C. Urbancic for reasons 1.4(b) and 
1.4(d) 
 
¶1. (C) "There has a been a (positive) sea change in attitude 
in the negotiations," UNSG Special Adviser Alexander Downer 
confided to the Ambassador in a June 19 meeting. Downer said 
that both Greek Cypriot Leader Demetris Christofias and 
Turkish Cypriot Leader Mehmet Ali Talat were "feeling their 
mortality" and edging towards a mental decision that an 
agreement is "inevitable." Regarding the stalled opening of 
the Limnitis/Yesilirmak crossing point, Downer said that both 
sides had made concessions and that the Leaders' 
representatives (George Iacovou and Ozdil Nami) had reached 
an "Ad referendum" agreement that the leaders, both of whom 
were off island, still had to sign off on. Consequently, the 
deal was "not completely agreed, but probably agreed", 
according to Downer. The Ambassador said that USG would work 
to assist in financing the opening, to which Downer expressed 
much appreciation. Downer asked the Ambassador to identify 
short-term, non-USG, AMCIT experts, preferably with 
experience in the Balkans, to work on issues of security, 
fiscal federalism, and the economy, adding that the Greek 
Cypriots had already responded favorably to a US property 
expert. The Ambassador said that the Embassy would work with 
Washington to accommodate his request. Downer, who plans to 
be in the US in mid-September, hoped to meet EUR A/S Gordon. 
Downer also queried the Ambassador regarding the possible 
appointment of a US Special Envoy for Cyprus. The Ambassador 
said that no decision had been reached regarding an envoy. He 
also encouraged Downer to speak with A/S Gordon before his 
planned Washington trip. End Summary. 
 
------------------------ 
"Sea Change in Attitude" 
------------------------ 
 
¶2. (C) Downer said that there had been a positive "sea change 
in attitude" in the negotiations over the past ten days, half 
joking that the sides had starting to feed back his 
(Downer's) own arguments to him. In response to the 
Ambassador's question, he said that both Talat and 
Christofias had begun to think that indeed a solution "was 
inevitable" given that the cost of "failure" would be 
immense. The blunt, former politician said that "Talat and 
Christofias need this deal, or they are screwed politically." 
Although he warned that "random" factors could intervene, he 
said that the Greek Cypriots had starting to rethink their 
strategy of pressing Turkey on implementation of the Ankara 
Protocols at the end of 2009. In fact, the Greek Cypriots had 
begun to seek more advice, which Downer dubbed a "complete" 
change over their past behavior. As proof, he pointed to the 
positive welcome both sides gave to the recent arrival of a 
US lawyer and expert on property, Jeff Bates.  In response to 
the Ambassador's question, he said that he thought the G/Cs 
wanted a "practical deal" on property. He praised T/C 
negotiator Ozdil Nami, adding that he was "as determined as 
himself" to forge a solution. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
Limnitis/Yesilirmak: "Not Completely Agreed, Probably Agreed" 
--------------------------------------------- ---------------- 
 
¶3. (C) Downer, just back that day from negotiations with 
Iacovou and Nami over the opening of the Limnitis/Yesilirmak 
crossing point, said that the issue had reached "critical 
mass" and must be solved, adding, however, that going forward 
he did not want to spend excessive time on CBMs. He said both 
sides had made concessions and had reached an "ad referendum" 
agreement that the leaders, both of whom were off island at 
the time, still needed to approve. He said that the T/Cs had 
backed off an "extravagant claim" to allow any T/C vehicle at 
any time, not just scheduled buses under UNFICYP escort, to 
use the crossing to enter the T/C enclave/military base at 
Kokkina. In turn, the G/Cs dropped their demand for full 
inspection of all non-lethal goods to be shipped to Kokkina 
and agreed, upon Downer's suggestion, that it would be 
sufficient if the Turkish Army presented a manifest to 
UNFICYP, which reserved the right to inspect the shipments in 
the buffer zone. This compromise was also acceptable to the 
T/Cs, he said.  The Turkish Cypriot demand to ship a limited 
amount of fuel overland remained on the table, however, and 
Downer hoped they would eventually withdraw this. (Note: 
Talat's Spokesman Hasan Ercakica, as well as T/C negotiating 
team member Mehmet Dana, told us last week that the only real 
"deal breaker" at present is the inspection of goods to 
Kokkina. End Note) 
 
4 (C) Downer said that Nami and Iacovou would meet again on 
June 23 and 24 to work on territory as well as make sure the 
Limnitis deal was "hunky dory." In short, Downer said the 
deal was "not completely agreed, (but) probably agreed." 
Should the leaders agree to the "Ad referendum" agreement, 
Downer said Christofias and Talat will announce the opening 
at their up-coming June 26 meeting. He added that, although 
the road construction will take 6-12 months, ambulances in 
emergency situations could use the opening as early as the 
following week.  Ambassador met again with Downer on June 21, 
shortly after Downer had breakfast with Talat.  Downer 
believed Talat had secured agreement to open the crossing and 
that it would be announced June 26. 
 
¶5. (C) The UNSG Special Adviser expressed genuine 
appreciation when the Ambassador said that the USG was 
working to contribute approximately $900,000 to finance the 
opening. Downer said that around 5,000,000 euro was needed to 
upgrade the road, both in the buffer zone and on the T/C 
side, with about half the work to done in the buffer zone. 
He said that the Greek Cypriots certainly were able to pay 
for all of it, but, given T/C sensitivities, their money 
would have to first be "laundered" through the UNDP. The 
Ambassador agreed that using UNDP as a focal point for 
donations had worked in the past with other projects and 
would be a wise step. 
 
----------------------- 
Downer Seeks US Experts 
----------------------- 
 
¶6. (C)  The irrepressibly pro-American Downer asked the 
Ambassador if the USG could assist in identifying short-term, 
non-USG AMCIT experts on security, fiscal federalism, and the 
economy. He said that he wanted to capitalize on the recent 
G/C positive shift to the utilization of outside experts and 
needed "ideas, ideas, and ideas."  Downer dubbed the recently 
engaged AMCIT property lawyer a "mine of ideas" and said that 
the process needed a "common law" approach, not a "civil law" 
one as had been embodied by previous EU experts, one of which 
he dubbed "terribly narrow."  Downer said it was especially 
important to try to find an alternative to the "Treaty of 
Guarantees", adding, however, that,"between me and you", 
there was likely no alternative in fact. The G/Cs, he said, 
would, at the end of the day, likely have to accept its 
continuation, albeit with a "sunset clause", presumably 
pegged to future Turkish EU accession. The Ambassador said 
that the U.S. was looking for ways to be constructive, and 
seconding experts to the UN for work with the two sides made 
sense.  He pledged to work to find candidates. (Note: 
Downer's Assistant Sonja Brachman later told the Ambassador 
and Poloff that it would be better if any candidates did not 
have Annan Plan experience. End Note)  Downer emphasized that 
any U.S. experts must also be from the private sector or 
leading academic institutions.  The GCs would accept no USG 
links. 
 
¶7. (C)  Downer, in what has by now become a routine question, 
asked the Ambassador about the possible appointment of a US 
Special Envoy for Cyprus. The Ambassador said that there were 
no developments and no serious discussion, but that the issue 
was being examined. The Ambassador informed Downer, who will 
be off island until around the second week of July, that DAS 
Matt Bryza was tentatively planning a trip for June 29-30. He 
also encouraged him to talk to EUR A/S Philip Gordon as soon 
as possible and said that the Embassy would work to set up 
meetings in the government for him should his September 2009 
trip to Washington materialize. 
 
 
Urbancic