THE GOVERNMENT, and specifically President Demetris Christofias, was yesterday in a tight spot after a damning report recording a conversation between Christofias and Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad two years ago was leaked to the media.
The eight-page classified report, which was leaked to Greek language daily Simerini, indicated that Christofias had assured Assad that the munitions cargo would not be handed over to foreign powers and would remain in Cyprus until it could be returned to either Syria or Iran. The president also told his Syrian counterpart that the government had barred foreign powers from boarding the ‘Monchegorsk’ ship and inspecting its cargo.
As the government leaped to the president defence, calling his actions “political manoeuvring”, opposition parties reiterated their demands for Christofias’ resignation.
Government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou criticised leaking extracts of the document recording the September 2009 meeting between the two leaders and dismissed allegations that the government had intended to send the contents of the seized containers to Damascus, in violation of UN sanctions.
But the report, prepared by presidential commissioner George Iacovou, said: “When the ship arrived and despite intense pressure from several countries to allow members of their services to board for inspection, the government refused.”
The document then goes on to say that the government arranged for its own team of experts to examine the cargo.
“The Cyprus authorities issued a legal ruling which stipulated that the materials were not banned under UN Security Council resolutions and sent its report and findings to the relevant Security Council committee, making clear reference to the fact that the Cyprus Republic does not consider the Security Council’s resolutions are in violation.”
Nevertheless the Security Council responded that the cargo was in violation of its resolutions and should be seized.
“He [Christofias] explained to the Syrian president that a country under occupation, which based its position on and sought justice from UN Security Council resolutions, could not refuse to implement any of the Organisation’s rulings as this would place [Cyprus] in a difficult position,” the document continued.
The leaked document also confirms published documents by another local daily. Alithia newspaper recently published a Foreign Ministry report that Germany, France and Britain had offered to take the cargo off the government’s hands but that the government turned them down. At the time Stefanou said no “specific offer” had been made by any foreign power and denied the validity of the report.
The Simerini document, however, indicates that the government had received offers of help from the US, Britain, France and Germany but that it had refused.
“Beyond this it spent €200,000 to construct an area to store the cargo, with the final aim of returning it to Syria, as soon as this is possible. The President of the Republic assured that under no circumstances would the Cyprus Republic deliver the cargo to any other country or Organisation other than Syria or Iran,” the classified document said.
Stephanou, who reiterated no “specific offer” of help had been made from foreign powers only “general offers”, described as “unacceptable” the repeated leaks of confidential documents to the press. The beleaguered spokesman reiterated his pleas for patience until investigations into the July 11 blast concluded.
“The procedure must be allowed to be completed and its findings should be respected,” he said.
He also condemned criticisms that the leaked document proved that Christofias had knowledge of the contents of the 98 confiscated containers.
Stefanou accused the opposition of making a concerted effort to undermine the presidency with the ulterior motive of securing the outcome of the 2013 presidential elections in their favour.
The government spokesman added that publishing extracts from leaked documents did not allow one to draw safe conclusions and only misinformed the public.
Stefanou said at the time of the seizure Nicosia had to deal with various political and diplomatic issues on various fronts.
“The issue with the vessel was very sensitive and important for the Republic’s vital interests, especially for the Cyprus issue, and should have been handled very carefully,” he pointed out.
He recalled that during 2009, efforts were underway to end a scheduled sea route from Latakia, Syria, to the occupied areas and to handle Turkey’s political and diplomatic manoeuvres via Syria and the Organisation of Islamic Conference. These efforts however failed, as the ferry route continued.
Stefanou also said the government had been in constant contact with the EU and UN on the matter of the munitions cargo up until its explosion last month.
He said if the government had intended to send the contents of the vessel to Syria, then it would not have confiscated it as it did, acting in line with UN sanctions against Iran.
On July 11 a munitions explosion at the Evangelos Florakis naval base in Mari, Limassol killed 13 men, injured 61 and wiped out the island’s main power station, Vassilikos, resulting in daily power cuts.
The explosives had been removed from the ‘Monchegorsk’, a Russian owned, Cypriot flagged ship detained at Limassol port in early 2009. The vessel, bound for Syria from Iran and carrying 98 containers of munitions, was detained following demands by the US and UN.
ACCORDING to Simerini at least five people currently have access to the classified report including independent investigator Polys Polyviou, former Foreign Minister Marcos Kyprianou, head of the president’s diplomatic office Leonidas Pantelides, Foreign Ministry permanent secretary Nicos Emiliou and presidential commissioner George Iacovou.
According to the paper, the former FM gave Polyviou the report and not the presidential palace. The right-wing daily said this fact raised questions on whether the presidential palace had handed over all documents in its possession or whether some had been concealed. The paper also cited sources concerns that some “important documents” had been tampered with and/or falsified to create confusion and disorientate the ongoing investigation.
IN LIGHT of the recent scandal, opposition parties reiterated calls for Christofias’ resignation and to take political responsibility for his actions.
DISY deputy leader Averoff Neophytou said the president was hiding behind his palace on the hill, cut off from the people and public opinion. He said if the minutes of the meeting were authentic then this raised serious questions not to mention led to the conclusion that there was a mastermind behind the Mari crime. He also said the government had misled the public into believing no foreign power had come to its aid to deal with the fatal cargo and said Christofias had clearly known about its existence and storage since he made reference to spending €200,000 for its safekeeping.
EDEK leader Yiannakis Omirou said the government had mismanaged the affair and jeopardised the population’s safety. He said nothing positive had come out of the president’s “political manoeuvring” and that the government had made fatal tactical errors at the highest level.
DISY MEP Ioannis Kassoulides confirmed a political decision had been made by the government regarding the cargo with the aim of placating Syria and Iran. However these sorts of foreign policy ‘acrobatics’ could sometimes lead to a slip, which he said in our case unfortunately had.
EDEK deputy leader Sophocles Sophocleous said the president had mishandled the “deadly munitions cargo” and that the political responsibility was clear and cumbersome.
DIKO was less outspoken than the other parties. The party, to which former FM Kyprianou belongs, said a full and detailed investigation into the tragedy was needed, and responsibility at all levels apportioned.
Tirelessly defending the president, government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou said the greatest political responsibility was to solve the problems caused by the fatal explosion at Mari, including the economic fallout.
He also did not rule out the possibility that Christofias would testify before Polyviou.
The independent investigator will begin taking statements from officials in 10 days.
