THE UN has sent the government a letter informing them that the theft of UN documents violates international conventions and requires investigation.
The letter was sent last week by the Chief of Mission of the UN Good Offices in Cyprus, Yasser Sabra. According to Sunday’s Politis, the letter effectively reminded the government that it had a legal obligation to investigate the theft and publication of UN documents.
Numerous press reports in Cyprus and Turkey have attributed last year’s theft of 6,500 pages of UN documents and personal emails to Cyprus’ Central Intelligence Service (KYP)
Quoted in yesterday’s Politis, government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou said the letter essentially “refers to the leaks taking place and to the use of those leaks while the Cyprus Republic is requested, based on specific legislation, to act accordingly. This is exactly why the government has referred the letter to the Attorney-general for his opinion.”
On the contents of the letter, he said: “There is no reference, no hint even that the government or Cyprus Republic is responsible for the leaks. No such reference and no such responsibility is attributed to us. I want to be clear on that.”
Some reports have even suggested the UN is using the unresolved issue of the leaked documents to put pressure on the Greek Cypriot leadership ahead of the tripartite meeting in New York between the two leaders and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on November 18. A further pressure point would be the question of what goes in Ban’s progress report on the talks due at the end of the month.
One diplomat told the Cyprus Mail that the letter is completely independent of the November report and in fact, adopts a rather soft approach. It is an overdue but necessary attempt by the UN to express its discontent at the fact that its personal communications were stolen.
However the letter is interpreted, the government is still left with the pressing question of how to stall or cancel a planned discussion of the leaked documents and their contents in the House Institutions Committee.
According to reports, the government used all means at its disposal to prevent the issue from being tabled for debate but only managed to enlist the help of House President Marios Garoyian who could not dissuade members of his party, DIKO, from withdrawing the motion to discuss the documents.
A large part of the debate to be held this month will focus on UN Special Adviser Alexander Downer’s role in the talks and the alleged undermining of state officials and institutions.
