VZCZCXRO7789
OO RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV
DE RUEHNC #0075 0290925
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 290925Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY NICOSIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9566
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS IMMEDIATE 2129
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO IMMEDIATE 0284
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV IMMEDIATE 6460
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 1335
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

S E C R E T NICOSIA 000075 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR, NEA, ISN, P 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/28/2019 
TAGS: PARM PREL MNUC SY IR CY
SUBJECT: CYPRUS:  M/V MONCHEGORSK ANCHORED OFF LIMASSOL 
 
REF: A. NICOSIA 73 
     ¶B. NICOSIA 58 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Frank C. Urbancic, Reasons 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
¶1.  (S) Ship's Location and Status:  USS Barry reported that 
the M/V Monchegorsk entered Cypriot territorial waters at 
0315 Zulu on January 29.  Roughly four hours later, it 
arrived at the port of Limassol, where it remains at 
anchorage. 
 
¶2.  (C) Diplomatic Activity:  The evening of January 28, 
Israeli DCM informed Embassy Econoff that GoI Ambassador 
Avrahaam Haddad had been in close contact with RoC Diplomatic 
Coordinator Leonidas Pantelides regarding the Monchegorsk. 
Haddad telephoned the Ambassador on January 29 to brief on 
his activities and request a recap of USG actions. 
 
¶3.  (C) The Ambassador at 1030 hrs local (0330 DC) telephoned 
Pantelides to commend Cyprus's decision to bring the 
Monchegorsk to Limassol.  Ambassador reminded Pantelides that 
the Cypriots' letter of recall which he (Pantelides) had 
shared with us specifically informed the Monchegorsk "that 
any cargo not in conformity with UN Security Resolutions 1747 
and 1803 must be unloaded in Limassol to avoid infringement 
of the UNSCRs and violation of RoC shipping rules and 
regulations."  Ambassador again offered U.S. technical 
assistance in the matter.  He also solicited the RoC's 
envisioned way-forward, and consulted on a strategy for 
handling media inquiries -- Ambassador told Pantelides that 
the Embassy would refrain from making any comments beyond 
what was already in the press and would refer questions to 
the Foreign Ministry.  (Note:  Leading daily "Phileleftheros" 
on January 29 ran an article on the Monchegorsk, essentially 
a translation of a days-earlier AP story in which CJCS ADM 
Mullen allegedly voiced U.S. disappointment over its 
inability to detain the Monchegorsk in the Red Sea.) 
 
¶4.  (C) Pantelides confirmed that the Monchegorsk was at 
anchor in Limassol, but would provide little specific on 
Cyprus's planned course of action.  Early reports from RoC 
maritime officials had corroborated the existence of large 
quantities of high explosives on board, a fact, Pantelides 
noted, that troubled the Cypriots on safety grounds.  He 
confirmed his government would undertake a more thorough 
inspection, but deflected the offer of U.S. assistance, 
claiming the RoC wanted to go "step by step" before 
committing to off-load any cargo.  As to press, he concurred 
with the proposed strategy, requesting the Embassy limit its 
commentary to confirmation that U.S. forces had boarded the 
vessel a week earlier in the Red Sea. 
Urbancic