CODEL ROGERS MARCH 30-31 VISIT TO ATHENS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ATHENS 000866

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SUBJECT: CODEL ROGERS MARCH 30-31 VISIT TO ATHENS


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1. (U) SUMMARY: CODEL Rogers, in Athens March 23-26,
toured the state-of-the-art security features at Athens
airport and at Greece's main seaport of Piraeus, put in place
in the run-up to the 2004 Olympic Games. The CODEL focused
particularly on the Container Security Initiative (CSI),
designed to prevent dangerous cargo from reaching American
ports and was given a practical demonstration of how the
sophisticated x-ray scanning device works. Chairman Rogers
received a commitment by the head of Greek customs that
Greece would purchase its own device by September 2005 (the
current one is on loan from the U.S.). Public Order Minister
George Voulgarakis extolled U.S.-Greek security cooperation
for the Olympics and expressed interest in deepening this
cooperation to assist Greece in combating organized crime in
the Balkan region. END SUMMARY.

Athens Airport: State-of-the Art Security Features


2. (U) CODEL Rogers began its visit at the Athens
International Airport, with presentations by Greek officials
highlighting the successful airport security measures put in
place for the 2004 Summer Olympics. This included the
advanced "in-line" hold baggage screening system, general
security concepts, and immigration controls. These officials
also provided the CODEL with a tour of explosive detection
system machines for screening baggage and newly installed
nuclear and radiological detection equipment. Regarding the
latter, a representative from the Greek Atomic Energy
Commission provided a system overview. Chairman Rogers
complimented the airport for having "one of the most
efficient baggage screening systems I had ever seen." Greek
officials, including Public Order Minister Voulgarakis and
the head of the civil aviation authority, later told the
CODEL that they are working to bring the security level of
Greece's secondary airports up to the standard of the Athens
airport.

CSI: Showcase of U.S.-Greek Security Cooperation


3. (U) In the main Greek port of Piraeus, the CODEL boarded
Greek coast guard vessels and were given a tour and a
briefing on port security measures. CODEL Rogers was
particularly interested in the Container Security Initiative
(CSI),designed to protect American ports from dangerous
cargo and in place in Piraeus since July 2004. The joint
U.S.-Greek CSI team gave the CODEL a demonstration of the Non
Intrusive Imaging (NII) x-ray device by inspecting two
containers bound for the U.S. Following the demonstration,
the Director General of Hellenic Customs Vassilis
Manolopoulos hosted the CODEL for lunch and spoke about the
excellent cooperation between the U.S. and Greece with
respect to CSI. Asked by Chairman Rogers when Greece planned
to purchase its own NII device (the current unit is on loan
from us),Manolopoulos responded that Greece expects to
purchase one by September 2005. In support of this, he asked
if Chairman Rogers would agree to send a letter to the
Minister of Finance outlining the CODEL's support for the CSI
program and the need for this purchase. (Note: Chairman
Rogers asked Embassy to draft such a letter and forward to
his office for review. End Note.)

Public Order Minister Voulgarakis, Pointman on Olympic
Security


4. (SBU) At a meeting with Public Order Minister George
Voulgarakis, Chairman Rogers and other representatives
congratulated Voulgarakis on a safe and secure Olympic Games
and on the impressive security features at Athens airport.
Voulgarakis thanked the chairman, noting that Greece had
gained valuable experience from security cooperation with the
U.S. during the Games and now wanted to expand that
cooperation. With this knowledge, he continued, Greece could
play a critical role to help its neighbors combat organized
crime, which he said was on the rise in the Balkan region.
Voulgarakis said he had already discussed increased
cooperation with his counterparts from Albania, Bulgaria,
Romania and Turkey. Ambassador added that Greece's
experience had already paid off in light of the GoG's expert
handling of a bus hijacking last November, which ended
without loss of life.


5. (SBU) Asked about migration to Greece and the potential
for extremists/terrorists to enter the country, Voulgarakis
answered that, due to Greece's thousands of Aegean islands
and mountainous terrain in the north, border control remained
a challenge. From Turkey, Greece received many illegal
migrants from Iraq (mainly Kurds),Iran, Egypt and even
China, most of whom traveled in small boats to Greek islands.
From the north, most illegals were from Albania.
Voulgarakis noted that in the past Greece had been more of a
transit country, but now many illegals were staying.


6. (U) CODEL Rogers did not have an opportunity to review
this cable.
Ries