VZCZCXRO3539
RR RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR
DE RUEHNC #0432/01 1821153
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 011153Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY NICOSIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9971
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHCH/AMEMBASSY CHISINAU 0130

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NICOSIA 000432 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE, G/TIP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2019 
TAGS: KCRM KPAO KWMN ELAB PGOV PHUM PREL CY
SUBJECT: CYPRIOT RESPONSE TO 2009 TIP REPORT BALANCED, 
PRODUCTIVE 
 
REF: SECSTATE 61042 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: Reactions to the 2009 State Department 
Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report were generally positive. 
GOC officials welcomed this year's report as long-overdue 
recogNi4ign of subsdaltial GGC progresc to co-bat TIP.Q 
BeActigns drom NGOs ald lo#al acti6ists in the GPeek Cypriot 
commUn)ty, hmweVer, were less eLthusiastic.  They co.tend 
that the TraffickingsitusendQ the wron' message.  In the 
Turkish Cypriot comeunity, NGOs reacted poSitively, whileQ 
TUrkish Cyprigt authorities uere lareely sident  Th% ppess 
il both communiti%s aovered the repord exten3ively and 
gEnerally gaTe a balan#ed acaouNting.  Th% GreeI Cypriot 
m%dia nmteD Cyprus' reeoval from the ti%r two watchliqt but 
demanded mmre actimn from theGOC, ghile Turkish Cypriot 
outleTs were more som`er given wha4 they peRceive aS the dire 
sitUatign il the nordh.  Efd Summary. 
 
----%------%-------%-------%--%-------%------ 
Officia, Ficosi! Genepally Pleased Wath ReportQ---%-----------------%---------------- --%---- 
 
¶2. (C) O. June 16, Poloff delivered the 2009 TIP report to 
Andreas Nicolaides, TIP Desk Officer in the MFA's 
Multilateral Affairs Department.  Nicolaides welcomed the 
report and the news of Cyprus, elevation from the &watch 
list8 to tier 2.  This move was expected, according to 
Nicolaides, as the GOC had made many improvements on TIP in 
the past year, most notably the abolition of the &artiste 
work permit.8  Nicolaides asked for a few days before 
commenting on substantive findings.  As expected, he 
emphasized GOC concerns with terminology in the report 
relating to the Turkish Cypriot community.  Nicolaides 
contended that the report treated the Greek and Turkish 
Cypriot communities as two separate entities.  He said the 
GOC would prefer that the report replace the language "Area 
Administered by Turkish Cypriots8 with &Area Not under the 
Effective Control of the Government of Cyprus.8  Nicolaides 
also took exception with the use of the term &Turkish 
Cypriot authorities,8 as well as with the recommendation 
that anti-TIP legislation be passed in the Turkish Cypriot 
community. 
 
¶3. (C) Nicolaides briefly discussed the implementation of the 
new &creative artist/performing artist8 work permit regime, 
particularly the concern raised in the report about the 
adequacy of necessary safeguards.  Nicolaides agreed in 
principle, but argued that thorough review of applications by 
the GOC could prove onerous.  Rather, the GOC feels the 
burden of ensuring the authenticity of such documents should 
fall on the country of origin, not Cyprus, through an 
apostille stamp.  (Note: Poloff has heard anecdotal reports 
that some apostilles have been forged and supplied to the 
Ministry of Labor).  Cyprus would soon start TIP training for 
Consular Officers working at Cypriot Embassies in source 
countries, according to Nicolaides. 
 
¶4. (U) The Minister of Interior, Neoclis Sylikiotis, in a 
June 17 CyBC report, stressed that, while no country should 
stand in judgment of another, he welcomed U.S. recognition 
that Cyprus is making progress to combat TIP. 
 
¶5. (C) Rita Superman, Director of the Cyprus Police Anti-TIP 
unit, told Poloff on June 18 that the report &is a very good 
report -- quite fair.8  Superman admitted that more still 
needs to be done by the GOC to combat TIP.  In fact, she was 
lobbying for additional personnel and the establishment of an 
anti-TIP office in each district.  While there has been an 
increase in the amount of goodwill shown by the GOC, she 
noted that even more is needed.  Regarding the new 
&performing artist/creative artist8 work permit regime, 
Superman stated that although she was not directly involved 
in its operation, the process is still deficient.  However, 
she predicted that additional improvements are likely before 
the end of the summer.  Superman noted that more convictions 
are needed, but that the GOC is moving in the right 
direction: a conviction last month, for example, resulted in 
a 4-year prison sentence (the most severe trafficking penalty 
yet).  Moreover, another trial of a cabaret owner in Limassol 
is ongoing and has garnered significant press attention. 
 
------------------------- 
NGO Response: A Mixed Bag 
------------------------- 
 
¶6. (U) Greek Cypriot NGOs responded less positively to the 
report.  (Note: In recent years, NGOs have called for GOC 
mobilization against TIP with the argument that Cyprus, as 
 
NICOSIA 00000432  002 OF 002 
 
 
the only EU country on the tier 2 watch list, was &the worst 
country in Europe").  Lawyer/activist Haris Stavrakis and 
Elena Pissaridou, Director of Cyprus-based NGO Stigma, told 
us in separate conversations immediately following the 
report's release that the situation in Cyprus is &worse than 
ever.8  Stavrakis expressed concern that the replacement of 
the &artiste8 work permit by the &performing artist" and 
"creative artist8 work permits was nothing more than a "name 
change."  In fact, he argued the new regime is being used in 
much the same way as the former: to supply trafficked women 
to cabarets.  Both Stavrakis and Pissaridou expressed fear 
that the GOC would become complacent after the new ranking 
and thus slow its anti-TIP efforts. 
 
¶7. (U) In the Turkish Cypriot community, researcher Mine 
Yucel, the &go-to8 person on TIP for NGOs, journalists and 
the diplomatic community, told Poloff on June 18 that the 
report was "very good8 and &a little tougher than previous 
years."  Yucel plans to use the report to raise awareness 
(Note: Yucel was the guest on a radio talk-show to discuss 
the report immediately following Poloff's conversation) and 
push for enactment of anti-TIP legislation.  Yucel stated 
that she planned to meet with the &Minister of Interior8 in 
the coming days (following the appointment of his 
"Undersecretary") and would be raising the findings and 
recommendations in the report. 
 
-------------------- 
Broad Press Coverage 
-------------------- 
 
¶8. (U) The Embassy conducted official TIP "roll-out" press 
conferences on June 17 in the Turkish and Greek Cypriot 
communities.  All television news broadcasts and newspapers 
responded with mostly positive reporting.  Coverage focused 
on Cyprus' removal from the watchlist while noting continued 
concerns, particularly over the low conviction rate.  One 
notable exception was a June 21 op-ed in the largest 
circulation, conservative, daily Phileleftheros that 
criticized the USG for reporting on the "domestic affairs" of 
third countries.  Several Greek Cypriot news outlets stressed 
that the situation in the Turkish Cypriot community was, 
according to the report, worse than in the Greek Cypriot 
community.  The Turkish Cypriot press provided 
straightforward, factual coverage of the report's 
recommendations for increased awareness and victim 
protections, with special attention given to the need for 
anti-TIP "legislation." 
 
¶9. (C) Comment:  Overall, the report was received in a 
productive and balanced way by all stakeholders, including 
the GOC, NGOs and the press.  We will need to work to ensure 
Cyprus' improved ranking spurs additional progress rather 
than engenders complacency.  GOC contacts contend that 
training for prosecutors and judges and a demand reduction 
campaign are on the agenda for the coming months.  That said, 
NGOs charge that the new "creative artist/performing artist" 
work permit regime lacks proper safeguards and is thus open 
to abuse.  In the Turkish Cypriot community, the key to 
achieving real progress is to energize and educate the new 
UBP "government" on the issue.  The possibility of anti-TIP 
"legislation," for example, should become clearer after 
appointment of the new "Undersecretary," the main driver on 
TIP in the Turkish Cypriot "Ministry of Interior."  End 
Comment. 
 
 
 
Urbancic