Eleftherios Netos  02/18/2010 04:58:11 PM  From  DB/Inbox:  Eleftherios 
Netos

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Text:                                                                      
                                                                           
      
UNCLASSIFIED
TELEGRAM                                        February 05, 2010


To:       SECSTATE WASHDC - ROUTINE

Action:   VO

From:     AMEMBASSY NICOSIA (NICOSIA 73 - ROUTINE)

TAGS:     CVIS, PREL, CY

Captions: SENSITIVE

Subject:  CYPRUS REEMPHASIZES INTEREST IN THE VISA WAIVER PROGRAM

Ref:      None
_________________________________________________________________

Additional Addressees:
None

cc:
DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC

Distribution:

TED4010
ACTION VO-00    

INFO  LOG-00   EEB-00   AF-00    AMAD-00  CA-00    CIAE-00  DODE-00  
      DOTE-00  DS-00    DHSE-00  EUR-00   FAAE-00  FBIE-00  UTED-00  
      VCI-00   H-00     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    LAB-01   L-00     
      MOFM-00  MOF-00   VCIE-00  DCP-00   NSAE-00  OIC-00   OIG-00   
      EPAU-00  PER-00   PPT-00   DOHS-00  NCTC-00  FMP-00   R-00     
      EPAE-00  ECA-00   DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-00   SAS-00   FA-00    
      SWCI-00  PESU-00    /001W
                  ------------------1CFAF4  051728Z /38    
R 051449Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY NICOSIA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0507
INFO DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS NICOSIA 000073 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR CA/VO/F/P AND EUR/SE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL CVIS CY
SUBJECT:  Cyprus Reemphasizes Interest in the Visa Waiver Program 
 
¶1. (SBU)  SUMMARY:  In response to a Cypriot request, the Ambassador 
met on February 4 at the MFA with Permanent Secretary Nicolas 
Emiliou and representatives of similar rank from other ministries to 
discuss the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).  Emiliou reiterated Cyprus' 
strong desire to join the VWP and catalogued benefits to both 
countries.  The Ambassador encouraged Cyprus to work toward 
satisfying statutory requirements but explained that the evolving 
terrorist threat facing the United States requires DHS to focus on 
issues other than expansion of the VWP.  ConOff accompanied the 
Ambassador as note taker.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Emiliou opened the meeting by stating that Cyprus 
formally expressed its request to join the VWP in 2005 and has been 
working toward that goal since then.  He said that Cyprus is 
scheduled to begin issuing e-passports that meet ICAO and Schengen 
standards in August 2010.  He stated that accession to the VWP would 
improve Cypriot public opinion of the United States and encourage 
more Cypriots to travel to the United States.  Emiliou noted that 
both the Cypriot public and government are acutely aware that most 
EU countries are members of the VWP while Cyprus is not.  (NOTE: 
Bulgaria, Greece, Poland and Romania are the EU countries in 
addition to Cyprus that are not members of the VWP.  End Note.) 
Emiliou concluded his opening comments by stating that U.S. 
acceptance of Cyprus into the VWP would favorably affect the 
atmosphere of bilateral relations. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Ambassador said that he and the Embassy support Cyprus' 
desire to join the VWP.  He reminded Emiliou that his personal goals 
are to increase Cypriot trade with, travel to, and academic study in 
the United States and that Cypriot accession to the VWP probably 
would contribute to the attainment of each of those goals.  The 
Ambassador then cautioned that the worldwide security environment is 
making accession to the VWP progressively more difficult for 
aspirant countries.  He pointed out that Cyprus and other aspirant 
countries have not done any wrong.  Instead, the changing terrorist 
threat confronting the United States, as exemplified by the 
attempted airline bombing on Christmas Day, has forced DHS to 
concentrate on security issues that prevent it from addressing the 
conditions under which aspirant countries may qualify for the VWP. 
The Ambassador commended Cyprus' low nonimmigrant visa refusal rate 
and its progress toward issuing an e-passport.  (NOTE: Embassy 
Nicosia consular records indicate that for the three-year period 
January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2009, the NIV refusal rate from 
Cypriots was 1.93 and that the adjusted refusal rate for the same 
period was 1.03 percent.  End Note.)  The Ambassador encouraged 
Cyprus to continue to work toward fulfilling each of the statutory 
requirements but emphasized that satisfaction of those requirements 
would not guarantee accession to the VWP.  The Ambassador conceded 
that he did not know when DHS would be able to address in a specific 
manner Cyprus' eligibility for the VWP. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Emiliou concluded the meeting by stating that accession 
to the VWP continues to be a priority for his government.  He said 
Cyprus is doing everything it can to meet the eligibility criteria. 
He said that his government hopes to reach an agreement with DHS 
that includes a sense of finality but that he understands that a 
specific date for accession is not possible at this time. 
 
 
Urbancic