By George Psyllides Published on August 7, 2010

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/cyprus-anti-terror-infrastructure-weak-says-us/20100807

THE BUFFER zone separating the island’s divided communities is vulnerable to penetration by terrorist groups, a United States government report said.

“The largely porous, lightly-patrolled “green line” separating the two sides is routinely exploited for trafficking people, narcotics, and other illicit goods, and is vulnerable to penetration by terrorist groups,” the State Department 2009 Country Reports on Terrorism said.

“This de facto division has precluded counterterrorism cooperation between the two communities’ law enforcement authorities, and between Cyprus and Turkey.”

The report said the regular ferry service between Latakia, Syria and Famagusta, in the Turkish-occupied north, has facilitated increased illegal migration into Cyprus and the wider EU.

Cyprus continued to be an ally of the US in its fight against terrorism and the government was responsive to efforts to block and freeze terrorist assets, the State Department.

In January, Cypriot authorities detained the Cypriot-flagged MV Monchegorsk which was chartered by the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines and contained Iranian-origin weapons components allegedly headed for Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The components were confiscated by Cypriot customs officials after the Government of Cyprus determined the shipment was in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Cyprus also “continued to allow blanket overflight and landing rights to US military aircraft supporting operations in Iraq and Afghanistan,” the report said.

But the island’s legal framework for investigating and prosecuting terrorist-related activity remains relatively weak, the State Department said.

The two countries cooperated closely on terrorist financing and money laundering issues with Cyprus maintaining a “Prevention and Suppression of Money-Laundering Activities Law” that contained provisions on tracing and confiscating assets.

“In the Turkish Cypriot-administered area, issues of status and recognition inevitably restricted the ability of authorities to cooperate on counterterrorism,” the report said.

Turkish Cypriots cannot sign treaties, UN conventions, or other international agreements, and lack the legal and institutional framework necessary to combat money-laundering and terrorist financing effectively.

“Within these limitations, Turkish Cypriots cooperated in pursuing specific counterterrorism objectives.”