C O N F I D E N T I A L NICOSIA 000010
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE, EUR/ERA, NEA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2019
TAGS: PREL, CY, SY, LE
SUBJECT: CYPRUS FAVORS EARLY APPROVAL OF EU-SYRIA
ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT
REF: SECSTATE 1985
Classified By: DCM Jonathan Cohen, Reasons 1.4 (b), (d).
1. (C) In response to Reftel regarding U.S. request that the
European Union delay approval of its Association Agreement
(AA) with Syria until the SARG improves its behavior and
demonstrates commitment to its public pledges, PolChief on
January 12 demarched Cypriot MFA Middle East Desk Officer
Dionysus Dionysiou. Dionysiou dismissed reports that EU FMs
might take up discussion of the Syria AA at the upcoming
(January 25) GAERC, claiming it was not on the informal
agenda earlier circulated. Further, member states were
clearly divided on the AA, he asserted. Germany, The
Netherlands, and the Czech Republic, among others, opposed
its signing until the SARG made progress on meeting political
"expectations" similar to those stipulated in our talking
points. Cyprus belonged to the other group, comprised of
Mediterranean member states like Greece and Malta, that
favored an immediate signing.
2. (C) Engaging in multi-front dialogue with the Syrians
held more promise in altering their behavior than "isolating"
them would, Dionyisiou argued. The Association Agreement
represented a useful tool; once signed, European Union
officials regularly would engage their SARG counterparts
within a formal framework and could use the expectation of
development assistance and other "carrots" to foment positive
change. Cyprus also worried about presenting a "balanced" EU
external policy to its Arab neighbors with which it desired
continued close relations. It supported deepening ties
between Israel and the EU, he continued, but could not back
that effort if Brussels were pegging the AA to political
criteria. "Why was Syria's refusal to demarcate the Lebanese
border and send an ambassador to Beirut any worse than
Israel's extension of the West Bank wall and Jewish
settlements there?" Dionysiou questioned.
Urbancic